These Scars
by ultimatelaurafan
Summary: Emotional scars...Physical scars... These Scars: A story based on the life of my great great grandfather, Fred John Lay. WARNING:This has taken a span of a few years to write, so in the beginning, my dates and setting is way off, and may be overly dramatic and naïve at times... towards the end, I have written it like it was in real life. Correct dates, real people, etc, etc. :)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is based on my great great grandfather, Fred John Lay. Many of the incidents in this story actually happened to him and I just used my imagination on how the story would come together! Most of the characters are mine. As an example are the names of Fred's parents. Their names were never made known to us and I did research and still couldn't find a thing, so I picked out their names...Hope y'all enjoy it! :)**

John Lay was hard at work plowing the fields on one very hot June morning. Sweat was pouring off his face, and his golden blond hair was soaked with it. He was too stubborn to stop working right now, though. He knew he had to finish plowing the fields, and get crops planted and harvested before winter came. The sweat on his back and his toned chest soaked his brown working shirt. He stopped his strong work horses for a moment just to wipe his brow. As he did, he suddenly felt something. A deep, sharp-shooting pain in his chest. He ignored it and went back to work, but soon the pain became unbearable and he began to feel dizzy. His vision was affected as well. He thought there were four horses instead of two, and he thought the plow kept moving. With his left hand, he clutched his chest and he dropped to his knees on the brown earth. His other hand was rested on the plow. John felt himself losing conciousness, and he fell forward onto the ground...

Annette Lay, John's young, 20 year old wife, was going about the house doing some work of her own. She had just put her two oldest children, Leonard and Barbara, who were both under the tender age of three, down for their naps. Annette went into a bedroom to check on her youngest child, Fred. He was a few months short of a year old. She saw baby Fred laying in his craddle, all smiley and playing with his little feet. Annette gently picked up her son and placed him on one hip. She pressed her lips against his silky-smooth, white face and breathed in his baby scent. She never got tired of it, ever since he was born some months back, she always enjoyed waking up in the morning and being so close to her baby. Annette loved each of her babies equally, deeply, but Fred, for some reason was special to her. He was the only one of her babies that looked more like John from day one. Which is why she named him Fred John. John after his father and Fred was for his great grandfather (Her grandfather). She smiled as he flapped his little hands and wiggled around in her grasp. He suddenly began to look over her shoulder and out the window.

Annette laughed quietly and she smiled at her young son. "What do you see Fred John? Is it your strong Pa out in the field?" She knew her husband was outside working, but to turn around and see her husband slumped over on the ground scared her. "Oh my word!...John!" She gasped and as gently as she could, she set baby Fred back into his cradle and ran outside. She was so alarmed to see her strong, 27 year old husband collasped on the ground with the horses unattended to. "JOHN!" She screamed, running out to the fields. "My John!..." She said as she dropped to her knees and cradled her husband in her arms. She began to weep as she was trying to get him to respond. "John!" He wasn't, of course.

_"I've got to get him in the house and out of this heat!" _Annette quickly thought. She hooked her arms under him and tried her best to drag him back to the house, leaving the strong chestnut-colored stallions standing there. With John being a man, he was slightly heavier than she, and it was hard for her to lift him. Hearing all the commotion, Jimmy, the farm-hand, came out of the barn. "Jimmy!...Run and get the doc! Quick!" Annette screamed. "Yes ma'am." Yelled the auburn-haired, sixteen year old boy. He ran to the barn, grabbed one of the horses and he took off, galloping the 20 miles down the road. After what seemed like hours, though it only was a matter of minutes, Annette managed to drag her unconsious husband into the house and into their bedroom. She got him onto the bed, and picked up his legs and feet so that he was lying down. Annette went and got a cool cloth for John's forehead to try and bring his temperature down after him being in the hot sun. She stayed with him until the door flew open and in rushed Jimmy with the town's doctor. The doctor immediately went over to the bed and thoroughly examined John. He then walked over to the window and stood there silently till Annette spoke up.

"What is it, Dr. Baumann?...A heat stroke?" Annette just stood there. Afraid of what his answer would be.

The red-headed young man spoke. His voice was very rough. "That...and I believe he's suffered a heart attack..."

Annette swallowed the lump forming in her throat and tears ran down her cheeks. "A heart attack?...He...He's too young! Why, he's only 27!...A man that young!...He couldn't have! It isn't possible!"

"It's very possible, Mrs. Lay." Dr. Hanz Baumann said solemnly. "I'm sorry...but his heart is failing him...and there's nothing I can do...He's dying." With a twinge of anger in him, Dr. Baumann walked out of the room. Annette turned her head and watched him leave. She then heard her husband stirring and quickly went to him and sat down on the bed beside him.

"John..." Annette managed to say as tears streamed down her cheeks. John, though he was very weak, lifted his hand up to her face and stroked her cheek.

"Shhhhh...Shhhh...Don't cry..." John said while wiping the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

Annette lifted her hands to John's hand which was still placed on her cheek. Her smooth hands gently rubbed his arm and his hand and all the while, tears were still seeping out of her eyes. "John...You're...You're dying!" Annette said as tears started to fall more rapidly.

"I know...Everyone dies sooner or later...It's just my time to go, Nettie."

"I don't know if I can let go of you just yet!" She leaned over, with her head on his chest and she was still weeping. He wrapped his arms around her tenderly.

"Didn't I tell you not to cry?" He whispered.

"I...I can't help it!...I don't know what I'll do without you!...I love you, John!"

"And I love you,...my sweet Annette."

"But what about the children, John?...I can't let them grow up without their father." She said, eyes closed but tears still streaming. Annette straightened herself up, but she was holding John's hands in her's.

"They won't...I'm still their father...They'll have me in here...No matter what." He said, gently placing a closed hand on his chest. John layed his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes. Annette leaned down and kissed his cheek, but she wasn't sure if John had felt it.

Annette lifted her face upward, tears streaming down her cheeks. "...to be absent from the body...and to be present with the Lord..." She whispered.

**A/N: I have written this story over a process of a few years, so things are not always accurate and there are things that I have learned. I feel like in the beginning, my writing is sappy...and I see how much I have changed.**

**At the time I wrote this chapter, I did not know what my great great great Lay grandparents were. But now, thanks to a certain ancestry website, I found out that their names were Leonard and Karoline. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Two years later...

A congregation stood in front of a small wooden cross, and the Reverend softly spoke. "Psalms 103:8-17..._The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;"_

Annette Lay, at the young age of 22, had also passed away of heart trouble. She was being buried next to her husband John. In the crowd, young Leonard and Barbara Lay stared at the wooden cross that was in the ground and then up at the Reverend. Leonard was five, Barbara was four. With them being so young, they didn't know what was going on and they didn't understand why they wouldn't see their Ma and Pa again. Leonard slipped his small hand into Barbara's and he reached up and held the hand of young lady, a Mrs. Argall, who was holding the two young children's three year old brother, Fred. Mrs. Argall was their mother's best friend, and she had stayed with Annette in her last few moments of life...She began to remember again of their conversation just before she died...

...FLASHBACK...

_Annette Lay was lying on her death-bed with Mrs. Argall, sitting in a chair next to the bed._

_"Jane..." Annette whispered. _

_Jane slipped her hand into Annette's. "I'm here, my friend."_

_Annette smiled. "Remember that verse, Jane? The one we'd always joke about?...'A friend loveth at all times..." She began and Jane finished the verse for her._

_"...and a brother is born for adversity." Jane chuckled._

_"And such adversity your brother gave you when you were children!..." She laughed slightly as well and paused. "...but thank you for being such a wonderful friend and making the first part of that verse true."_

_"You're welcome,...my dear friend..." There were moments of silence until Annette spoke again. Though, her voice was at a whisper and Jane leaned in so she could hear what she was saying._

_"When I'm gone...Jane...please make sure..."_

_"Make sure of what, Nettie?"_

_"...That my children have a home...I want them..." Annette stopped in mid-sentence and was gazing out the window._

_"Nettie..." Jane started to say._

_"I see the angels...Two of them..." Annette whispered, still gazing out the window._

_"What?" Jane looked out the window with a conused look on her face. "I don't see a thing!...There's no one outside, Nettie."_

_"Oh, they're there. They're there!...They're looking through that window...It won't be long now."_

_A few moments had passed and then Annette lifted her head, and was gazing upward._

_"John...I can see My John...He's waiting for me..." She smiled and tears glistened on her cheeks. _

_A few more moments later and Annette had layed her head on her pillow and closed her eyes. A certain feeling of peace filled the whole room, and there was also a look of sweet peace on Annette's face._

_...END OF FLASHBACK..._

Jane Argall was imaging what kind of reunion John and Annette had when she had crossed over...She imagined John meeting her at the pearly gates and wrapping her up in a tender hug and then the two starting down the golden streets together. John showing Annette everything about that wonderful place called Heaven...Jane snapped back into reality as she heard the Reverend closing the funeral service with another Scripture...Isaiah 25:8.  
_"He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it."_

The funeral was finished and the Reverend had dismissed the congergation. The Reverend walked up to Mrs. Argall.

"Have you found a home for those dear young ones, yet?" The Reverend Morgan asked.

Jane sighed..."For Leonard and Barbara...Yes...A young couple will be adopting them soon."

"And for little Fred?..." He questioned.

"No...No one wants to adopt all three of them...I don't know wh-" She began, with a worried tone in her voice.

"Don't fret, Mrs. Argall,...the Lord will work it out...Have faith. The Good Book says, 'If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed..." He was saying and Jane finished his sentence.

"...you'll be able to move mountains!" Jane smiled.

"Correct." He smiled..."You'll be able to do anything...with His help of course. You'll even find a home for that little boy..."

**A/N: The Reverend and the Mrs. Argall are my own characters.**


	3. Chapter 3

Some months had passed and the two older Lay children had been adopted into a family with four other children, the Cook family. They had all girls...So Leonard was the only boy in the family. Leonard and Barbara's new adopted sisters were Hannah, she was 14, Cherith, who was 10, and Norah and Corah, who were twins of the age of 7...This whole time, little Fred was living with Mrs. Argall and her husband, Todd.

"Would you like some milk and cookies, Fred?" Jane asked, looking at Fred, sitting in his chair at the table.

"Eh! Eh! Eh! Eh!...Eh!" Fred said in a high pitch and he held his hands out in front of him.

"No Fred...You use your words when you want something. What do you say?"

Fred sat there, with his blueish-gray eyes looking so innocently at her.

"You say 'please' when you want something, and 'thank you' when you receive it...Now what do you say?"

"Pease?" He said quietly. Jane Argall laughed quietly at the three year old's attempt to say please, and how he had miss-pronounced the word. She then set a plate of cookies and a glass of cold milk on the table in front of Fred."Tank you!" He said and immediately he grabbed the glass of milk and a cookie.

"Fred...before we eat something...we always pray...Go like this..." She said, while putting her hands folded in prayer above her head. Fred did the same.

"And then you bring them down!...And when you get past your mouth...You're as quiet as a little mouse." Mrs. Argall said and brought her hands down and she whispered the last phrase. Fred brought his hands down and when they were past his mouth, he was quiet.

"And you bow your head,...and close those little eyes!"

Fred bowed his head and closed his eyes and Mrs. Argall quietly prayed. "God is great and God is good, And we thank God for our food; By God's hand we must be fed, Give us Lord, our daily bread...Amen."

Fred opened his eyes and Mrs. Argall whispered in his ear. "Can you say, 'Amen', Fred?"

"Amemn." He said quietly. Jane silently laughed and she smiled at him. "Now you can eat."

Fred grabbed a cookie, dunked it in his glass of milk and took a bite. His little head turned as the front door flew open and Mr. Argall walked in with an older man. Jane went up to them and Todd put his arm around his wife's waist. "Jane...This is Mr. Amos Beck...He's been working with me at the blacksmith shop."

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Beck." Jane said and shook his hand.

"He'd like to see about adopting the boy." Todd whispered. Jane went to the table and picked Fred out of his chair, she let him walk while holding his hand, and they went over to Mr. Beck. Jane picked Fred up and held him. "Can you say hi to Mr. Beck?" She whispered in his ear.

"Hi." Fred said quietly. Mr. Beck gently patted the young boy's head of blond hair. Fred immediately warmed up to Mr. Beck and the next thing either of them knew, Mr. Beck was holding Fred. After a while, he got a bit squirmy and wanted to be put down. But then, Fred wanted Mr. Beck to chase him, so heard throughout the whole front room, were little Fred's squeals of laughter and then he dodged him and hid under the kitchen table. Mr. Beck got down on his knees and playfully grabbed him out from under the table and started to tickle him which made Fred engulf in big belly laughs! Hearing Fred's laughing made Mr. Beck laugh too.

Todd and Jane Argall were standing back and watching Mr. Beck and Fred interact. Jane could tell that Mr. Beck was a kind man and she trusted him that he would give Fred a good home. Fred ran to her and she picked him back up.

"That's some little boy! Isn't he?" Mr. Beck smiled.

"He is...I can tell that you'll give him a very good home Mr. Beck..." Jane said.

"When would you like to start on all that paperwork, Amos?" Todd asked him.

"Well, maybe in a few weeks. I'd like the boy to get to know me a little better...and so he can meet the wife and get to know her..." Amos smiled.

Jane smiled and assumed that Mrs. Beck was a kind person...just like her husband.

**A/N: The little, "Eh, eh, eh, eh!" noise is something I always did when I was little when I wanted something. lol. **

**Todd Argall, is always one of my own characters.**


	4. Chapter 4

A month had passed and little Fred had turned four. He had gotten to know Mr. Beck a little better and only saw Mrs. Beck a few times, but Fred was always so shy around her...Mrs. Argall was getting Fred all dressed up so Mr. Beck could take him home. The adoption papers were final, and Amos and Leah Beck were Fred's legal guardians. They decided to have Fred keep his last name, though.

"Fred...Stay still please!" Jane laughed at the squirmming little boy. She was putting Fred in a red, burgundy, and brown plaid shirt, with brown trousers, suspenders and shoes.

"There...Now you can play if you want to." She smiled at him.

The door opened and Todd and Mr. Beck walked in. Fred immediately ran to Mr. Beck. They had gotten to know each other a lot more. Fred took an instant liking to Mr. Beck, and Amos enjoyed the young boy and couldn't wait till he could take him home for good. He and his wife never could have childen of their own, and Amos was hoping Fred could fill that void.

"Fred...Are you ready to come home and live with Leah and me?" Amos asked, picking Fred up. He smiled at the little boy. Fred looked at Mr. Beck and knodded his head. Fred looked back at Mrs. Argall, who looked as if she were about to cry, but she smiled and waved goodbye to the boy. There was a moment of akward silence and Mr. Beck didn't know what to say, so he knodded goodbye, and left with little Fred hoisted on his shoulders. Jane went to the window, placed her hands on the window sill and watched them leave. She thought she saw Fred turn around and wave at her. Jane suddenly felt her husband's strong arms around her waist.

"You're gonna miss that little boy,...aren't you?" Todd whispered. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and kissed her.

"Yes Todd...Very much..." She said, and tears began to stream down her cheeks. Jane turned around and fell into her husband's embrace.

"It just felt so natural...To have a little one around...Oh Todd...I sound so foolish...don't I?"

Todd kissed her forehead. "I don't think so." He smiled at her. "You know...We can have one of our own..."

Jane smiled up at her husband. "We haven't really discussed that, yet...Having a baby of our own."

"You want to...Don't you, Jane?" He asked.

"Well, of course I do!...Why wouldn't I, Todd Argall?" She smiled.

"...Well, Mrs. Argall,...do you want to get started on that little one?" Todd asked, smiling and his eyebrows were raised.

Jane stood on her tiptoes as her lips found his. When they released their kiss, Jane wrapped her hands on the back of his neck and his hands found her waist. "Ready when you are." She whispered and smiled up at him.

Amos Beck had brought little Fred home. Fred was so worn out from the long trip that Amos put him to bed up in the loft. Leah was in the kitchen getting her husband's evening coffee. She was silent the whole time. Leah set his cup of coffee on the table in front of him.

"Thank you, sugar."

"You're welcome." She said.

"What do you think of the boy?" Amos quietly asked.

"I still think he's a little young...But give him time...and he'll make a good farm-hand."

"Leah...I don't wanna the boy just for a farm hand..." Amos began.

"And why not? You can't do it all by yourself, Amos! You're not in your 20's anymore you know!"

"Don't remind me." He muttered. "...I've managed just fine for years!...Besides! That boy needs love...and I want to be the one to give it!"

"Love!...A boy doesn't need love!...He needs discipline!"

"And we'll give him that discipline when he needs it!...Now this is silly, so lets stop arguing about it." Amos said.

"Fine with me...I'm heading to bed. You coming?" Leah asked.

"Of course...Just let me finish my coffee." He smiled.

Pulling her shawl tighter around her, Mrs. Beck went up to their room, leaving her husband to finish his cup of hot coffee. Amos grabbed the iron rod they used for the fire, and poked at it, stirring the red-glowing coals a little. He had soon finished his coffee, so he went up to the loft to check on Fred, it being his first night with them. Amos saw him curled up in a little ball, the covers pulled tightly around him.

"_Poor little guy must be cold." _He thought and grabbed a couple of blankets from one of the dresser drawers, and layed them on him, brushed his hand over the boy's mop of blond hair, and then he climbed back down the ladder and went to bed himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Amos Beck and a six year old Fred were coming home from a hunting trip. Fred was on his shoulders and they were singing all the way back to the house. A song that goes to the tune of "Turkey in the Straw."

"O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skoler,

O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skolar,

O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skolar,

Sings posom up a gum tree an cooney in a holler,

posom up a gum tree, cooney on a stump,

posum up a gum tree, cooney on a stump,

posum up a gum tree, cooney on a stump,

Den over dubble trubble, Zip Coon will jump.

O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day.

O Zip a duden duden duden duden duden day.

O Zip a duden duden duden duden duden day.

Zip a duden duded duden zip a duden day.":

Amos sees his wife on the porch with a water bucket. "Looks like Leah's got a little job for you Freddy boy!" He smiled at him...but Fred immediately got quiet. Amos was wondering why the boy was acting so strangely. "Its allright son...You'll do just fine!" He and Fred walked up on the porch, with Fred carrying the wild game they had shot.

"Oh, just a measely, little pheasant? Why, it's a scrawny little thing! Barely amounts to anything!" Leah exclaimed, grabbing it from the six year old boy.

"Fred got it, sugar...And at least its something!" Amos said going inside to clean up and to go take a small nap.

"I suppose." Leah stared down at the boy. "Fred...I want you to water my flower plants..." She said and got in his face. "So help me...If you spill any of that water,...you know what's coming, boy." Leah left him with the water bucket and went inside.

Fred stood there in the yard, terrified. He gulped and grabbed the water bucket and began to water her plants. He was so afraid of Mrs. Beck, his hands were shaking. Then, the Beck's goat, Charlie, head-butted Fred and made him fall down. The water splashed all over the front of him!

"...That really hurt, Charlie." Fred groaned and glared at the goat as it ran off. Leah looked out the window and saw Fred soaked from head to toe. Anger boiled up inside her and she stormed outside. She grabbed Fred roughly by the arms and shook him. "What did I tell you?...What did I tell you, boy?...Look at what you've done!...Go get the strap and meet me in the barn!" She said and shoved the boy away.

"But...But..." Fred whimpered.

"Don't you back-talk me, boy!...Now go!"

Terrified, Fred grabbed the whipping strap from inside the house and quickly went to the barn. Mrs. Beck gave Fred such a beating that he felt he was un-able to sit down for a week! Leah told him to go to bed without supper and left and went back inside the house. Fred sat there in the barn, with his arms covering his face and cried for hours until he heard Mr. Beck coming in from the fields, as he was also finished with his job at the blacksmith shop. Fred calmed down and quickly dried his eyes with his shirt sleeves. When he saw that Mr. Beck had went inside, he slowly came into the house. He quietly walked through the kitchen and Mr. Beck caught him as he was about to climb the ladder leading up to the loft.

"Aren't you gonna have supper, son?" Amos asked.

"Ummm...No sir, Mr. Beck..." He looked at Leah, who was glaring at him. "I'm not very hungry right now."

"Well, come back down when you want somethin'. It'll be here waitin' for ya."

"Yes sir." Fred quickly said and climbed the ladder. When upstairs in his room, he carefully took off his shirt and examined his wounds in the mirror. His back was already bruised, and he knew for a fact that his rear-end was sore! He grabbed a gray nightshirt from his dresser and began to get ready for bed. Fred lay in awake in his bed, and all he could do was cry. He heard someone coming up the ladder, so he pretended he was asleep. Whoever it was set something on the end table by his bed and Fred felt a strong, but gentle hand on his back. Fred winced slightly at the gentle touch, for it hurt because of his beatings from the day. Fred felt more blankets covering him, and footsteps going across the floor and back down the ladder. Fred sat up in bed and saw that on the bedside table, was a plate of ham, mashed potatoes, corn and a freshly buttered bisquit. There was also a tall glass of milk to wash it all down with. He eagerly grabbed the plate and ate his supper right there on his bed. He was starving after all. He practically inhaled the glass of milk! Fred set the plate and the glass back on the little table, and now, with his belly all full, he layed down and drifted off to sleep...The next morning, Fred came down from the loft with the plate and the empty glass, and began to wash them.

"You enjoy your meal last night, son?" Amos smiled. Fred turned around and looked at Mr. Beck, who winked at him. Fred smiled and closed one eye to try and wink back at him.

**A/N: Fred's beating for watering Mrs. Beck's flowers plants and spilling the water, is a true occurrence.**


	6. Chapter 6

A few weeks later...

Fred was out in the pasture herding sheep. A flock about 10 or 20. Fred was laying in the middle of the pasture, with the sheep all around him, and his six year old mind was wandering. _"I wish I had somebody to play with, instead of herding these sheep!...Dumb sheep."_

"You stupid sheep! All you ever do is stand there and eat grass!...What do you _do_ all day? Nothin'!" Fred said out loud and a sheep or two just looked at him with a blank expression in their eyes. "You guys even _look_ stupid!" _"This is sooooooo boring!...I hate sheep. Dumb, dumb,...stupid sheep." _Fred thought.

"I'm so bored!" He said rolling over on his stomach and playing with the grass. He was picking up each blade of grass and breaking it into little, tiny pieces. After a while, he got up and went walking, not too far from the herd of course. He came along a plow with some loose nuts and bolts on it. _"Oooooo...This could be fun!" _Fred thought, unscrewing the nuts and bolts. He began to clear a small place in the dirt and began playing with the nuts and bolts to pass the time. Every now and then, he'd look up at the sheep. _"Still standing there...Doing nothin' at all!...Oh, who cares about some dumb old sheep! I'm havin' fun right now!"_ He thought and went back to playing again. He played for hours and hours and hours until he saw two black lace-up shoes and the hem of a dark green dress standing in front of him. "What do you have there, boy?"

Fred looked up and saw Mrs Beck. "Ummmmm...Some nuts and bolts."

"And where did you get those nuts and bolts?" She questioned harshly.

"From the plow..." He said quietly.

Leah Beck stood there, glaring at him, with her hands on her hips. "You did. Did you?...Go get the whipping strap, boy."

_"Well, I guess I deserve this one..." _Fred thought as he went inside to get the strap. He walked to the barn and then faced yet another beating from Mrs. Beck. He then went into the house and went up to the loft. He wasn't told to. He just wanted to. So he could be alone. Hours later, he heard Mr. Beck coming up the ladder. "You hungry, son? Supper's ready." He asked, taking a seat on the bed next to him.

"Yes sir." Fred said, but sat there and layed his head on Amos' shoulder. "Why do ya call me, son?...You're not my real Pa." After two whole years of being with the Beck's, it dawned on him that Amos had been calling him, 'son'. Not 'boy' like he had been and what Mrs. Beck called him.

"Well, I know that...but I'd like to be your Pa...if you'd let me." Amos said, putting his arm around the boy.

"Should I call you 'Pa'?" Fred asked, looking up at Mr. Beck.

"Now,...you do that on your own time..." He said.

"Okay." Fred said.

"And if you feel comfortable with calling me Mr. Beck, then that's ok too...Now c'mon! I smell one hearty supper waitin' for us downstairs!" With that, they both climbed down from the loft and took a seat at the table. The table was all set, thanks to Leah, of course, and she took a seat next to Amos at the table. Fred was across the table from them. All three of them bowed their heads and Amos prayed, "Our dear Heavenly Father...Thank you for this wonderful food that has been prepared for us. Bless it to our bodies, Lord, and please give us many more days to enjoy on Your wonderful earth...Amen."

Fred sat there silently as they began to pass different foods around. Amos helped himself to some pork chops, drizzled with gravy. He served himself a generous portion of green beans, and also grabbed a sour-dough biscuit. He passed it on to Leah who helped herself and passed it to Fred.

"Good meal tonight, Leah." Amos said, enjoying a pork chop.

"Did the boy tell you about your plow?"

"What about my plow?" Amos asked, with a puzzled look on his face.

"Ask the boy." She said, "Just ask him what he did to it! He'll tell you."

Amos glared at his wife. "Leah...that's enough." He looked at Fred, who was looking very guilty. "Can you tell me what you did to the plow, son?"

"No need to discipline him,...I already did." Leah spoke up.

"Leah!" His voice was stern. He looked back at Fred.

"I ummm...unscrewed some bolts and nuts that were on the plow and played with them."

Amos laughed. "Is that all?...You had me worried there, son!" He said, and ruffled the boy's blond hair. Fred smiled. He was beginning to like it that Mr. Beck was calling him 'son'.

"And you're letting the boy off with that!...You're not going to do anything?" Leah said angrily.

"And why not?...You said you _disciplined _the boy already." He glared at her.

"Ummm...why, sure...Of course..." She stammered and became quiet alomst at an instant. Amos glared at his wife. "Leah...Meet me outside...We need to talk." Amos got up from his seat, and layed a gentle hand on Fred's shoulder, who flinched again at his touch. "Finish your supper, Fred..."

"Yes sir." Fred said, shoving a mouthful of green beans into his mouth. Leah walked outside and Amos followed her out. They both walked out well into the yard. Amos leaned his hands against the fence. "How long has this been going on?" He angerly questioned.

"What in Heaven's name are you talking about?" Leah snapped.

"You know what you've been doing! Don't try and deny it! You, I and God all know that you've been beating the boy!"

"I'm disciplining him!" She said sharply. "The Bible says, "Spare the rod, spoil the child..."

"Discipline is one thing...What you're doing is beating the child! You're abusing the boy, Leah!...I've seen the bruises and I've seen the scars on his back!..." He was so angry, he was breathing hard. "He flinches when I try and lay a hand on him! He must think I'm gonna beat him too! Thanks to what you've done to him!"

Leah was silent and so Amos spoke again.

"It stops...Here and now!" He leaned on the fence on his elbows. "I don't understand it...I just don't understand it at all...Why would you beat a child like that?...You never used to be like this..."

Leah stood there and looked at her feet. "...The woman I married many years ago was a kind, loving woman named Leah Josephine Knoddler,...what happened to her is what I want to know..." He said, lifting up her chin with a curved finger, so her face met his.

"I don't know..." Leah began.

"You know..." He interrupted her. "Is it because he isn't..." Amos began, but Leah already knew what he was about to say.

"Well, what do you think, Amos!" She yelled and began to weep. "Of course that's why! Because I couldn't give you a baby!..."

Amos looked concerned. "Sugar...that's no reason why..."

"Do you have any idea at all how that made me feel?...I felt worthless Amos! Worthless! I couldn't give you a son to help you work the fields! I couldn't give you anything! No daughter,...no son!" Tears spilled down her cheeks.

He walked towards her and held her in a tender embrace. "And you think that mattered at all to me?...Leah, I loved you anyway! I still do!...That's all in the past and we can't change it!...Plus,...you aren't getting any younger." He chuckled.

Leah gave him a look. "Neither are you,...you old goat!" She said, tapping his chest. They both started to laugh, and he pulled her in for a hug. Amos smiled down at her. He was hoping Leah would finally warm up to the boy.

**A/N: Fred's beating for playing with the nuts and bolts from an old plow he found, was true...**


	7. Chapter 7

Nine years later...

15 year old Fred was up in his room changing his clothes from his hard day of working out in the fields. He was practically a man now and he grew almost as strong as Amos, so Fred, many a time would help Amos with plowing and planting the fields as he was away at his job at the blacksmith shop in town, as Fred was doing this particular warm summer day. He was dressed in brown trousers, and a teal shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his suspenders were hanging down. He pulled one up over his shoulder, and grabbed the other one quickly, but it snapped suddenly.

"Damn it!" Fred Lay swore in anger. He took his broken suspender and tied a knot in it. "There, that'll have to do for now!" He heard his adopted mother yelling at him to come down for lunch. "Comin' Leah!" Fred hollered. He made his way down the ladder. _"I wish she would just shut up sometimes! I'm tired of all the yelling!" _Fred hopped down onto the floor and turned around. He made his way to the kitchen table and saw Mrs. Beck staring at him. "What?" Fred asked, with his thumbs hooked in his pockets. His tone of voice suggested to her that he was copping an attitude with her.

"What happened to your suspender, Fred?" She asked, coldly.

"It broke on me and I tied a knot in it to fix it." He said and his eyebrows were raised and furrowed in the middle.

"I'll teach you to ruin your things!...Amos spent good money for you to have nice suspenders to wear, and you ruin them by tying knots in them!" Leah fiercely grabbed the young man by the arm and shoved him out the door. Fred was surprised by her force on him. "Get in the barn!...Now!" She said, kicking him in the legs. Grabbing an old buggy whip, she quickly followed him into the barn, whipping him all the way. "Take off all your clothes!" She demanded.

"What the heck?...No!" Fred backed up against a barn wall. It was like the woman had gone mad or something.

"Do it...You're not feeling it! The pain!...You need to feel it, boy!...I guess my other beatings didn't work and I still need to whip the Devil out of you!" She barked.

Fred tried to run, but Leah grabbed his shirt and it ripped. She continued whipping his back, ripping the skin and creating wounds that she knew would later turn to scars. She ripped his shirt all the way off of his body, showing his toned chest that was no longer boyish, but had half-way matured into a man's. She whipped him with the buggy whip again, with each strike tearing out blonde hairs that had begun forming on his chest, for there were tiny pieces of glass on the end of it. Fred bit his bottom lip to try not to scream from the pain. He was a man now, not a boy! He was tough, not a little weakling! She kept whipping him, the glass tearing into his strong, farm-worked shoulders and upper arms. He tried to crawl away as she grabbed at his trousers and those ripped as well and she began to whip his legs as well. He endured his whippings for hours it seemed, and Fred curled up on the barn floor, his knees to his chest, and he realized Leah had stopped whipping him. He felt hands run over his body and thought it was her again. "No!" He screamed. "Don't touch me!...Get your hands off me! Don't touch me!" He was screaming and backed himself up against a corner. "No!...Don't touch me!...Don't touch me! Get off me!...Get off me!" He was still screaming and he felt hands grip him tighter and a manly voice scream at him, "Fred!...Fred! Its Amos!...Its alright!...Its alright, boy!...Its alright, son!..." Fred was exhausted, bleeding and in intense pain. He still had a feeling of adrenaline and his chest was heaving, his heart pounding. Finally, he almost fell limp, but Amos still had a firm grip on his arms. Fred was still panting hard and he kept breathlessly chanting, "Don't touch me!...Don't touch me...No...Don't touch me." Moments after, Fred was leaning up against the barn wall,...he was shirtless, and his brown trousers were almost torn to shreds. He was still breathing hard, his chest heaving up and down with every breath he took. Fred's eyes were shut tight and he was almost numb to the rest of the world. He heard something being dragged and later a fire crackling, and much later, water running, he thought. He felt a pair of strong hands lift him up slowly. "C'mon son, lets get you in...Take off what's left of your trousers." Fred numbly and still half aware of where he was, took off his brown trousers and the rest of his underclothing. Amos helped him into a tub filled with hot water, not to hot, but hot enough, and what Fred smelled and recognized as soap made from rendered hog's fat. Fred felt a sharp, horrible, stinging sensation on his skin as Amos scrubbed his bloody, beaten, torn body with the soap. It hurt like the dickens and Fred felt as if he were on fire! He couldn't help but scream! He had too, he was in so much pain! Amos had gotten the young man into some good clothes and made up a bed in the hay loft. Fred immediately fell asleep as soon as his weak body hit the makeshift bed. Amos climbed up there as well and stayed there with him all night. All Amos kept saying, though unsure if Fred was able to hear him, was, "Why in Heaven's name would she do this to you again?...I'm sorry she did this to you, son..."

**A/N: Fred's beating for tying knots in his suspenders was true! How horrible was she?!**

**Fred had grey eyes...and for awhile it was thought that he had either had wavy, blonde or dark hair as a young man...in his wedding photo, you can tell he had dark hair. I did not know that physical feature at the time of writing this.**


	8. Chapter 8

Leah Beck was in her kitchen, a few days afterward, preparing breakfast. There were bowls of oatmeal on the table, and Leah put small jars of strawberry and raspberry preserves in the middle of the table. She grabbed a few jars of powdered ginsang and set those on the table and went to the springhouse to get the milk. When she came back from the spring house, she poured the milk into wooden bowls and set them beside the bowls of oatmeal. She went across the room to call for Amos and stepped on something: a pair of suspenders. She bent down and picked them up and her hands tightly gripped the suspenders. "That boy!" She said, clenching her teeth. She rushed up to the loft and yanked off all the quilts and pillows off of his bed. "Where is that boy?" She scanned the room and saw he wasn't there. She ran outside and looked over at the fields, he wasn't there. Leah went to the barn, carrying the buggy whip with the pieces of glass on the end of it. She rushed into the barn, and saw him in the corner, asleep. She saw the bandages on his torso and upper arms, but she didn't care. The memory of what she had done to the boy just days earlier was gone from her mind. Leah went over to him and raised the whip up in the air and was about to strike the young man, who was now awake and had a look of absolute terror on his face. He shut his eyes tight and braced himself for yet another beating he figured was coming to him, but a strong hand grabbed the woman's hand and prevented it. It was Mr. Beck, of course. Fred opened his eyes and let the breath out that he had been holding in. Fred saw Amos grab his wife by the arms, and in his anger, he practically picked her up like a sack of flour! In other words, he forced her all the way back to the house.

"What the Hell is your damn problem?" Amos yelled at his wife, when they were in the house. He closed the door and stood in front of it. He sounded extremely angry, but tears were welling up in his brown eyes.

"I don't know, Amos." Leah began.

"Don't say you don't know! You do!" He shouted. "Why do you keep doing this?...As weak as he is now...You could've killed the boy, Leah!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" She screamed at him. Tears began to flood her eyes. "I just get into these moods sometimes...I don't know what's wrong with me!...I'm sorry...I'm sorry!" She was weeping and brushed past him and went into their bedroom. Amos followed her and saw her sobbing on the bed. He hated seeing her like this. He wondered what could be wrong with her...He sat on their bed next to her and she layed her head on his chest and cried. Amos wrapped his arms around her. "It's gonna be all right...We'll take you into town to the doc as soon as we can...We'll get to the bottom of this." He soothed her, stroking her back, undoing hairpins from her brown hair that was put into a neat bun, and let her hair cascade down her back. With one hand, he caressed her cheek and brushed back a few tendrils of hair that were in her face. "I'll stay with you like this all day if I have to." Amos whispered. She denied it. "No...You go eat your breakfast...Its all set out...Bring the boy in...I don't care...I'll just go change into my nightgown and rest awhile...I...I think it might do me some good...I'm feeling quite tired right now." Amos leaned forward and his lips captured hers in a kiss. "Ok." He whispered at last.

Amos walked out to the barn to call Fred in for breakfast. He hoped the boy might be strong enough now to come back inside the house. That is, if he wanted to. When Amos walked inside the barn, the boy was gone, and there was a note laying on the pile of straw that was covered by a worn, old blanket. Mr. Beck picked up the piece of paper and began to read it...

_Dear Amus,_

_I'm leavin' here and I'm sure ya kno why. I can't tak this aniemor. Where I'l go? I'm not sure. I'l jest travel around. Maybe visit Jurrmeny. I was born there, ya kno. I'l jest go wher my legs take me, I reckon._

_I'd like to thank you for wantin' to bee in my life. I'm know I'm not much for readin' or ritin', but thanks fore puttin' me in skool thru tha yeers. Ya kno I'm not much of a church goeur, or wer ever much for goin too Sundaey Skool, or fore readin' God's Wurd, but thanks fore takin' me to church when ya cuid._

_Thanks fore puttin' so much effurt in my life. I realy wish I cuid've caled ya, 'Pa.' Never got used to the idea. Didn't sem rite. But ya were the closest thing I had fore a Pa, and I thank ya fore that. _

_Goodbie,_

_Fred John Lay_

"I wish ya could've called me 'Pa' too, son." Amos thought out loud. He folded Fred's letter and put it in his back pocket. _"I wouldn't blame the boy for leavin' either...The way he's been treated. I'd wanna leave too." _He thought.

**A/N: Of course, I meant Fred's letter to be misspelled for some words. To make it seem like it was poorly written and that he didn't get much of an education.**


	9. Chapter 9

Years had passed and Fred had traveled all over Europe, teaching himself languages such as French, Flemish, Hungarian, possibly Italian, and of course, he already knew how to speak English and German. He collected coins, 30 or 40 of them, from each country he visited and made himself a wooden box to keep his treasures in. He was now 20 years old and was living in Germany now for about three years, and had met someone on the streets...

FLASHBACK...

_Fred Lay was walking the streets of Oberspeltach, Germany. A kingdom of Baden Wurttemburg, southeast of the city of Stuttgart, Germany. Someone in the crowd spotted him..._

_"No...It couldn't be him...He's in America...It couldn't be him. Could it?...Maybe it is." A young, 22 year old man with golden-blond hair, thought. Something in him decided to call out to the man. _

_"Fred!...Fred Lay!" He yelled across the street._

_"Wh-what?" Fred muttered and was looking all around him for the voice who had called out his name. He heard it again and saw a man running across the street and up to him._

_"Sir, you just looked so familiar to me...Are you Fred Lay?"_

_"Ummmm...yes...I am."_

_"Goodness!" The man exclaimed. "What's your middle name?" He asked quickly._

_"John..." Fred replied, looking at the man strangely. "Look,...you seem to know me...but I'm not entirely sure if I know you, sir."_

_The man ignored that comment and continued to ask Fred questions. "When is your birthdate?...Where were you born?"_

_"My adopted parents told me I was born here, in Oberspeltach...on September 30th of..." Fred began to say. _

_"Adopted! You were adopted! An older couple, the Becks...they live in America. Iowa Territory. Correct?"_

_"Yes..." Fred answered, still looking at the man like he had grown two heads! "How do you know so much about me?...Who are you, sir?"_

_"Fred...I'm your brother! Leonard!" _

_Fred studied the man's face. He looked very similiar to himself, but the man looked older by a few years. Fred began to remember letters he had received when he was a boy. They were from Leonard and Barbara. Mr. Beck would read them to him...A light came on in Fred's mind. This WAS his older brother, Leonard Lay._

END OF FLASHBACK...

Fred had reconnected with his older brother and his little family. He got to meet his two nieces, Anna and Elisabeth. He grew exceedingly close to Anna, and young Anna soon took to him like frosting on a cake!...Fred wanted to surprise his nieces on December 6, also known as St. Nicholas Day. He had on his warm, red coat and his red woolen cap and he had a walking stick in his hand. He wore a fake, short, beard made of sheep's wool. He had dyed the beard so it would match the color of his golden blond hair. It was his version of St. Nicholas, for the real St. Nicholas sported a long, flowing white beard and wore a bishop's miter and cloak, and he carried a bishop's staff...Fred had a large sack slung over his one shoulder. He knocked hard on the door. The door soon opened and there stood two young girls, dressed in nightgowns and nightcaps. Both girls had long, wavy, light brown hair that reached down to the middle of their backs. They stood there in their bare feet, looking in wonder up at him. He smiled at them and his grayish-blue eyes twinkled and sparkled.

"Santa Claus came early this year, Anna!" Four year old Elisabeth whispered to her five year old sister.

Fred laughed, which made his eyes sparkle. "I'm not Santa Claus!..."

"Yeah! Santa's round and jolly!...He's just skinny and jolly!" Anna giggled.

"I'm St. Nicholas!"

"Are you Santa's brother?" Elisabeth Lay asked curiously.

"Why, sure I am!...I'm also Santa's helper! My older brother says you little girls have been extra good this year, but let me just check my special golden book!" He said, setting his things down by the kitchen table and pulling a chair out and he sat down and pulled out a small gold-colored book.

"Let me see! Let me see!" Both girls shouted in excitement and were scrambling, trying to climb up on Uncle Fred's, or should we say, 'St. Nicholas'' lap.

"Girls! Girls! You mustn't crowd St. Nicholas!...His book is very special and only he should see it! It holds all the good and bad deeds of all the little boys and girls!" The girls' mother told them. Fred smiled up at his sister-in-law. She sure saved his hide on that one! All his little gold book was, was his travel journal.

"How does it get in the book?" Anna asked.

"Santa Claus records it." Leonard, the girls' father, spoke up.

"And how does he know if we've been good or bad? Does Jesus tell him?" Elisabeth asked.

Leonard smiled at his daughter. "You know what Sissybeth, I think you're right."

"Bible even says, dear, '...the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good'..." Leonard put his arm around his wife. They both looked on at 'St. Nicholas', checking his golden book.

"Let's see now...Anna Lay...Does well in her studies...Helps Ma with certain chores...Keeps her room neat and tidy...Is good and obedient to both of her parents..." Fred pulled out her stocking filled with goodies and gave it to her, to which she said thank you. "You're welcome, Anna. You been a very good little girl this year." Fred said, winking at her.

"Now...Elisabeth Lay..." He said glancing at his golden book. "Ah-ha...mmmmhmmmm...ah-ha...Oh my! What's this, I see? You said an unkind word to your sister on March 3? On her birthday!...For shame, Sissy." 'St. Nicholas' said sadly. Elisabeth put her head down.

"Now don't you be doin' that!...You been very good the rest of the year! But bad deeds come with bad presents, so I have to give you this." He pulled out something and placed it in her hand.

"A potato?" Elisabeth muttered and stared down at the not so nice gift.

"What do you tell 'St. Nicholas' for your potato? Its still a gift, Sissy." Leonard asked his young daughter.

"Ummm...Thank you."

Fred winked at her. "That's not all you get Sis, you've been very good the rest of the year. You still get this." He said, taking a woolen stocking, bulging at the bottom with goodies, and handed it to Elisabeth.

"Thank you, St. Nicholas!" The girls both said and each gave him a hug. "You're welcome girls..." Fred said. He winked at little Anna who was grinning at him. Fred lips formed into a smile.

"Bridget...St. Nicholas has a little something for you too." Fred said to his sister-in-law. She came over and he began to ask her questions like if she was a good little girl all year as well. It made the woman laugh, seeing Fred's silliness, and his costume that he wore. His beard looked so silly! That was just Fred's humor...He began to laugh and his jaw jutted out and he looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. He pulled out a package out of his sack and gave it to her. Bridget began to open it.

"Oh...What a wonderful shawl! Thank you, Fre...I mean, 'St. Nicholas'" She said, smiling at him. She went over and hugged him and gave him a kiss on cheek.

"Hey Leonard! St. Nicholas didn't forget you!" Fred said, throwing a gift a him.

"Thanks." He said, laughing. He opened the present, which was a black silk ribbon tie.

"I, ummm...thought you could use that. I assumed y'all go to church on Sunday's." Fred said.

"We do...Why don't you come with us this Sunday..." Bridget asked.

"I appreciate the offer...but this guy hasn't darkened a church door in years...Haven't gone since I was about 12 or so."

"Just consider it, please."

Fred knodded slightly. He turned his attention to his nieces, one on each knee. He smiled at both girls. Elisabeth was curled up against his chest, falling asleep. Anna smiled up at him, as Fred was bouncing her on his knee. His 'beard' fell down slightly. Anna smiled widely and her eyes lit up, she had thought that St. Nicholas was Uncle Fred. Fred raised his eyebrows and smiled at her, but then put a finger to his lips. "Shhhhhh..." He winked at little Anna, who giggled at him and helped him fix his 'beard' for him.

"Ma? Can we open our stockings from St. Nicholas yet?" Anna asked. The girls were so excited in seeing St. Nicholas, they forgot to open them!

"I'm sorry Anna, you'll have to wait until the morning...Elisabeth's already asleep, and you know how she gets when she is woken up!" Her mother told her gently.

"I think I'll put her to bed...The girl's deadening my thigh!" Fred laughed, standing up and rubbing his thigh. "I'll bet she weighs as much as three sacks of cornmeal!" He said and pretended to limp his way up to the loft, carrying the four year old. Young Anna laughed at her uncle and followed them up to the loft. Fred put Elisabeth in the trundle bed and Anna got in beside her.

"Good night Uncle Fred..." Anna whispered and hug his neck.

Fred smiled and tapped Anna's cute button nose. "Its St. Nicholas...remember?" He whispered back and winked at her. She grinned up at him. "Good night, kiddo." Fred said, blowing out their small bedside lamp and turning around. He was about to walk down the ladder when he heard Anna whisper, "Night...Uncle St. Nicholas." That made 20 year old Fred smile and he climbed down the ladder to join his brother and sister-in-law for an evening cup of hot coffee before bed.

"You were so good with the girls Fred..." Bridget told him. "You make a good St. Nicholas."

"I was happy to do it...Though, I thought I was gonna be in some deep hot water with Anna when she noticed my 'beard' drooping!" Fred laughed. "Though, she seemed to enjoy knowing it was me." He smiled, starting to take off his 'beard.' "Gosh I'm glad to take this thing off!...Its itchy!" Fred started to chuckle, and it seemed to be contagious, as Leonard and Bridget started to laugh as well.

**A/N: St. Nicholas Day is a European tradition. In Germany, St. Nicholas put the good children's goodies in an old boot. If the children were naughty, they received a bundle of sticks and twigs, or a potato, such as little Elisabeth had. My family celebrates St. Nicholas Day every year on December 6th, by my mother filling a wool stocking with fruit, candy, nuts and soda pop, and as a kid and even now, she'll put them on the porch and in front of the door, so we would find our gift from 'St. Nicholas' later that day. In past years, when we woke up on December 7th (My late great grandfather, Joseph Edward Walbrun's birthday) we would find our gift from 'St. Nicholas'. :) Today is December 6th. So a happy St. Nicholas Day to all my readers! **

**Fred J. Lay, my great great grandfather, did in fact travel around Europe before coming to America. He taught himself French, Flemish, Hungarian, and possibly Italian. He collected coins from each country he visited. He gave them to his grandson, Dale F. Walbrun, my grandfather. He gave me some of the coins (and some to my cousins), and taught me a little of each of the coins. Pretty cool!**


	10. Chapter 10

Months had passed and Fred was working at a brewery near Frankfurt, Germany. He worked every day of the week, there at the brewery, making beer. Heating up a mash of grains and water in copper vats, stirring and mixing it till it turned into a liquid, separating the sugar-water, which is called wort, from the grain husks, boiling the wort for two hours or so and then transfering it into a wort chiller, and then into a fermenter where he added yeast to the mixture, then he poured the liquid into wooden barrels.

There he stood, going through his usual routine of making beer. When he first took up the job, he was ashamed of working at such a place, but he justified it, by it being a good-paying job, and he had to work to support himself! His conscious still haunted him, but he ignored it and always managed to think of something else...Fred was beginning to acquire a taste for the beverage. Not too bad, he'd have a half of a German beer once in awhile and he had only been to the saloon a few times and was planning to meet up with some friends on the weekend, but before he did that, when he got off work, he wanted to take his niece, Anna, out to the mercantile to get her something for her birthday...He reached a hand into his trouser pocket and pulled out 7 cents...All the money he had until he got his next paycheck...He figured he could at least get Anna a little something...

"I don't have much right now...Maybe I'll get Anna a few sacks of candy." Fred said to himself and he sighed. "Hopefully...,Oh, who am I kidding? What a stupid present!..." He said, kicking the wall. He walked the short walk home, with his head down and in low spirits. He cleaned up and changed his clothes and hitched up his horses on his buckboard and went on over to his brother's place. He thought to put on a happy face for his niece. He couldn't rain on her parade with his gloominess on her special day! He pounded on the door and stood there until Anna opened it.

"Uncle Fred!" She exclaimed and hugged him, and Fred picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Now lets see!...You're turning the old, old age of...what? Sixteen?" He smiled, looking into the girl's bright blue eyes.

Anna laughed, which made her eyes sparkle. "No silly! I'm six today!"

"Oh you!" Fred said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Whether you're six or sixteen, you're a pretty little thing!...Now c'mon! Your crazy uncle's taking you out for your birthday! Your Ma and Pa already said yes!"...Elisabeth was very jealous of her older sister. Fred got down on his knees so that he could be face to face with his niece. He gently held the little girl by the shoulders..."Now...Sis, today is Anna's special day...Don't worry, your Uncle Fred's gonna take you out for your birthday too...Okay?..." He said, winking and smiling at her.

"Okay..." Elisabeth said and smiled.

"C'mon kiddo!" Fred said, hoisting Anna up into his buckboard and then getting in beside her. They travelled into town, talking and laughing all the way to the mercantile. Fred kept teasing Anna. In a loving way, of course, but like any close relative, Fred loved to tease!

"So...Does my pretty little niece have a beau yet?" He smiled down at her and winked.

Anna made a face, "No! Boys are dumb!...And icky!"

Fred chuckled and put an arm around her. "You're only six...You've got all the time in the world, kiddo!"

"Johnnie Abeln likes me...He's eight..."

"Oh he does! Does he?" Fred smiled a crooked smile and looked down at his niece, dressed in a royal blue dress with a brown pinafore and brown shoes. She was swinging her feet, as they didn't reach the floor-boards.

"But I don't like him..." She said quickly.

"And why not? He seems like a good boy...I've seen him around some, and I work with his Pa..."

Anna quickly changed the subject..."You call Elisabeth, Sis or Sissy...Do I get a nickname too?"

"Hmmmm...I never thought of one for you,...have I? Well, how 'bout 'Anna banana!'..." Fred said laughing and turned his head quickly to see her reaction.

Anna laughed. "No way! That's too silly!"

"Well, lets see. Your middle name is Rose...How 'bout "Rosebud."

She smiled up at Fred. "I like it..." Anna grasped his arm with both hands and layed her head against him.

"Me too,...Rosebud.." He smiled. He stopped the horses, as they were at the mercantile. Fred jumped down and placed his hands on little Anna's waist. "Fly, my little songbird!" Fred said, lifting her up in the air as he helped her down from the buckboard. "...Please this young handsome gentleman with a special number!"

Anna laughed and walked into the mercantile arm in arm with her uncle, skipping and singing,

"_Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,_

_Skip, skip, skip to my Lou, _

_Skip, skip, skip to my Lou, _

_Skip to my Lou, my darlin'. _

_There's a little red wagon, _

_Paint it blue. _

_There's a little red wagon, _

_Paint it blue. _

_There's a little red wagon, _

_Paint it blue. _

_Skip to my Lou, my darlin'..."_

Anna was smiling as the song had ended, when Fred started to sing again...

_Lost my partner,_

_What'll I do?_

_Lost my partner,_

_What'll I do?_

_Lost my partn..._Hey! Too bad that Johnnie boy isn't here to switch partners!" Fred laughed after stopping in the middle of his singing...

_"_UNCLE FRED!" Anna shouted in embarrassment, and then began to turn red as people who were in the mercantile were staring at her. Anna glared up ather uncle and she was motioning to him with her pointer finger...Fred leaned down so she could whisper in his ear.

"Don't talk about Johnnie! Its embarrassing!" She whispered and Fred whispered something back.

"No I don't! I told you I think that boys are icky!" Anna said, a little louder this time.

Fred smirked and said to her..."I bet you're just saying that."

Anna stared up at him. "I don't like Johnnie Abeln!" She said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Whatever you say, Rosebud..." He said, smiling. They walked up to the counter and Anna picked out the candy she wanted...

"Can I get peppermint candies, Uncle Fred?...I like peppermint candies!"

"Why sure!...7 cents worth of peppermint candies, my good man!" Fred said to the man behind the counter and gave him the change. The young man at the counter put the money away and then he filled two sacks full of peppermint candy.

Fred spent most of the day with his niece and brought Anna home near suppertime. His brother and sister-in-law wanted him to stay for supper and he thankfully accepted.

...A few months had passed and Fred had moved back to America and was living in the state of Pennsylvainia. He told his brother Leonard that he felt that he needed to move on and move back to the States. He was a young, 20 year old man, and felt confident at being by himself and out on his own. He got a job, working at another brewery, and spent some of his evenings at the saloon...One evening, he pushed through the saloon doors and walked over and sat down on one of the stools at the counter.

"I'll have a beer...German beer...Make it a Starkbier..." Fred said, when the bartender waited on him.

"Gotta be at least 18 to drink, kid...You look a little young...I'd say about 16." The bartender glared at him, leaning on the counter-top.

"I'm 20..." Fred stated. "I look young for my age...I know."

"Well look, kid...We only sell whiskey here...Nothin' fancy...just straight whiskey."

"I'll have whiskey then..." Fred said quietly. The bartender set a whiskey glass on the counter in front of him and poured some whiskey into the small shot glass. Fred drank the foul liquid in one swallow and set down the shot glass next to the whiskey bottle, the bartender pouring more for him. He drank shot after shot after shot after shot, and Fred became drunk. No,...he wasn't the tough, mean, I-wanna-fight-with-you kind of a drunk,...he was a silly drunk! He was a silly, goofy, stupid, not making a lick of sense type of drunk...He was laughing at everything and saying stupid, silly things. He randomly blurted out, "I am the Pharoah of Egypt...and I am here to grace you with my presense!" and after awhile he was sitting in a corner whispering sweet nothings...to a broom...Then he heard swaying music starting to play and he picks up the broom and started dancing with it, though ridiculously drunk and still laughing at everything!

Fred was all giddy and laughing as he was dancing and talking...to the broom... "You're so thin! Loose anymore weight and you'll disappear!" He stupidly laughed. "But that's oooookkkaaay, I like my women ttthin!..." He said, slightly slurring his words. "You don't talk much, huh...That'sss okay...I'll talk enough for...for the two of usssss..." Fred suddenly felt someone wisk him away from his 'woman.'

"Hey Fred!...A real man's gotta be branded! Shows masculinity!" A man named Aaron Cassano told him.

Fred laughed stupidly once again. "Anyyything for my country, General Waaaashington!"

Aaron laughed and shook his head. "General Washington? The kid's so drunk he doesn't know what he's saying!"

Fred hopped up on the table in front of a whole bunch of tough-looking men. "I want one of a German Eagle! Right here!" He said slapping his upper left arm...and he went back to laughing again..."Hey, did I tell you, I've got two friends...Vengence and Hurt! They're right here and you don't wanna mess with 'em!" He said clenching his fists and holding up his arms in the air. Some guy yanked Fred's arm down and Aaron began to tattoo his upper arm. Fred could barely feel it and he was so drunk he didn't really know what was going on! After he had gotten his tattoo, Fred began to drink more whiskey again...And then he found his broom 'woman' again and was talking to 'her' over in the corner. He kept laughing stupidly until his friend whisked him away again...

"C'mon, lets get you home, Fred...You've had enough excitement for tonight!"

"I don't wanna leave my girl!" Fred whined.

Aaron looked at the broom, and rolled his eyes..."You need to get home, Fred." He said, guiding Fred to the saloon doors.

"But we were just starting to get to know each other!" Fred said looking back at his broom 'woman.'

Aaron rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you were..." He looked at one of the men picking up the broom and putting it into a broom closet. "...but I think 'she' has met someone else, Fred..."

"She's cheating on me!...Howww daaaarrrrrre shheee!" Fred said, slurring his words once again.

"C'mon buddy, lets get you back on home..."

Aaron got Fred home and into bed. He was out cold as soon as his head hit the pillow. Fred woke up in the morning with a very, very, VERY bad hangover. He sat up slightly and looked at his left arm and saw his tattoo..."Where did THAT come from?..." Fred put a hand to his forehead since he had a killing headache! "Oh God...What kind of a night did I HAVE last night?" He said to himself and fell back onto his pillow.

**A/N: My great great grandfather Fred Lay, had gotten two tattoos done on both of his upper arms. My grandpa said one was a German eagle, just like in the story, and one was very faded and he couldn't remember what exactly what it was. He got the tattoos while he was in the German army.**

**Fred did work at a brewery near Frankfurt, Germany, and would buy sacks of candy for his niece, Anna Lay. I did not know what her middle name was, so I chose my mother's middle name, Rose. I like it. She does not like her name, Christel Rose.**

**Elisabeth was another one of Fred's nieces. She was Elisabeth Lay Hassenkamp. I believe she lived out her days in the country of Germany.**


	11. Chapter 11

During this time, the Civil War was in progress, Fred being in Germany half the time, he didn't sign up, but now, they needed more men to be medics...and more men to fight in the war...Fred thought he could learn the trade well enough and so he enlisted... So Fred was sent from where he was living in Pennsylvania down to the battlefield of Shiloh, located in Hardin County, Tennesee. He was placed under Maj. Gen. Ullysees S. Grant and Brig. Gen. William T. Sherman and Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Wood was also in his division...

Fred was in the midst of the battlefield, explosions going off all around him, smoke filling the air...Fred dodged explosions here and there...He saw a man down, so he got down on his stomach and started to crawl over to him...Fred heard with his ears, more explosions, and felt the ground shake as more guns were going off. He was armed as well, with a musket rifle, and fired it countless times in an effort to keep off the enemy...He crawled over to the man, and Fred saw that he had a bad leg wound. Through the noise and explosions and guns being fired off, Fred temporarily fixed up the man's leg and picked him up, slinging him over his shouders, and ran back to camp...He went out onto the battlefield once more, bringing in more wounded men...He saw a young boy with a wound near his heart...Fred knew the boy well...He was young, 14 year old Paul Ingalls...The boy reminded Fred so much of himself...On the quiet side, but once you got to know the boy, he'd talk your ears off and wouldn't shut up! Fred and Paul were about the youngest in their group, so they got to know each other quite well...

"Ingalls..., How are ya, kid?" Fred asked, grasping the boy on his shoulder...

"Not so good, Fred...I'm not gonna make it..." The boy inhaled and on is face was a grimacing look...From the deep pain, because every time his chest moved, he could feel the enemy's bullet dig deeper into his chest.

"Don't say that, Paul...You don't know th..."

"Fred!...Face it! I'm gonna die out here!" Paul shouted...He calmed down and spoke..."It doesn't matter to me anyway...I know where I'll end up...but what bothers me is I won't make it out of this war and...I won't see him again..."

"Who?"

"Charles Ingalls...My second cousin...He and his family are the only kin folk I've got left...Told you Ma and Pa died last year of typhoid fever...That's why I joined the army...Had no where else to go...Charles...he wanted me to come live with him, Caroline and the girls...but...I didn't wanna impose...And I was a stubborn kid and wanted to be out on my own anyway..."

Fred chuckled..."Sounds kinda like me...Told you I left home...about that age..." Fred heard another wounded soldier screaming for him..."I'll be right back, buddy..." Fred crawled over to the other wounded man, who was screaming his head off. He had horrible leg and shoulder wounds...Fred tried to calm the man down...but the man kept screaming,..."Lay! Lay you've gotta help me!...Its to my knees!"

"What is?...Henderson, what are you talking about? What's to your knees?"

"The fire! The FIRE is to my knees! Oh God! Now, its reaching up to my hips!" He screamed, clutching onto Fred...

"Jake...WHAT are you talking about?...You're not on fire! You're just wounded! Very badly..." He shouted back at the young man in his 30's.

"FRED! The fire's at my waist now! Get me out! Help me!..." Jake Henderson said, clutching even tighter onto Fred...

"Henderson! Calm down!..."

I can't! I CAN'T! I feel the fire creeping up my chest! Now its at my shoulders, Lay!...Get me out of the burning FIRE!...HELP ME!"

"I don't know what you're talking about Henderson!...You're not on fire!...Are you loosing it, man?"

"OH GOD! Its at my ears! Don't let it go over my head!...Help me, Lay!"

"HENDERSON!" He shouted as he saw an aweful horrifying look come across Jake Henderson's face...The strong, 36 year old man died like that...His clawed hands still clutching Fred's shoulders...

Fred had no idea what he had just witnessed...It left him at a state of shock and he was afraid. Afraid of dying like that man...He didn't want to die that way...Fred crawled back to Paul, with a look of shock and fear still on his face...

"You okay, Fred?..." Paul Ingalls asked him...

"I think so..." Fred said, though he was shaking all over...

"Fred...I'd like it if you'd do something for me..."

"Sure...Anything Paul..." Fred muttered...He was still in shock from watching that young man die.

"Send word to the Ingalls for me, will ya?...You and I both know I won't make it alive."

"Will do, Paul..."

"I've got their address right here..." Paul said, pulling an old envelope out of his uniform...He gave it to him. Fred put it in his own Civil War uniform...

Paul reached up and gripped Fred's hand. Fred sqeezed back. "Hope to you again someday...friend...Goodbye." Paul told him.

Fred was silent as he watched the young boy close his eyes and die at peace...It was so different from the death he had just witnessed...and Fred didn't understand why...

The war had soon ended...Fred, who was in his Civil War uniform, was on a stagecoach heading to Walnut Grove, Minnesota so he could keep his promise to his young friend, and tell the Ingalls' the news of the boy's passing...

Fred had his dark green carpet bag with his things in his lap. A young lady in a light pink calico dress and bonnet was sitting across from him...

"Heading home, soldier?" She asked him, and smiled even though the jolt of the stagecoach kept moving her slightly.

"No...I'm doing a favor for a friend of mine...He...umm...died in the war..."

"I'm sorry to hear that...What a great price to pay...Just to serve your country...Thank you..."

"You're welcome, ma'am..." He said and reached out to shake her hand, as she already had it extended...

"I'm Christi...Christi Loyalton...": She smiled.

"Fred Lay..." He said, introducing himself. "So why are you heading to Walnut Grove? He asked.

"To see my aunt...Melinda Foster...She works the post office there...

"I see...said the blind man to his deaf friend...as he picked up his hammer and saw." Fred smiled.

The saying made Christi laugh a little. That was just Fred...He loved making people laugh.

The stagecoach had stopped, as they were now in Walnut Grove. Fred hopped down and extended a hand out to the young lady and helped her down from the stagecoach.

"Thank you, Fred." Christi smiled.

"Do you need help finding your way around?..." Fred chuckled, "Then again,...I don't know my way around here as much as the next guy!"

"Well, we'll just have to help each other out! Won't we?" Christi laughed. Fred held out his arm and Christi set her hand on him. And the two started out. "...Oh, there's my aunt!...Aunt Melinda!" She called out to her. Mrs. Foster saw them and walked over...

"Christi...How are you, child?" She said, hugging her neice.

"I'm doing just wonderful!...Ready to help you at the post office. I'm really excited!...My first grown up job!"

"And I'm sure you'll do just fine!...Who is this handsome stranger?" Mrs. Foster asked, refering to Fred.

Christi blushed. "This is my new friend,...Fred Lay. We met on the stagecoach."

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Foster." Fred said, shaking her hand.

"So what brings you to Walnut Grove?"

"I am looking for a ...Charles Ingalls..." Fred said, glancing at the envelope in his hand...

"Oh, he's busy working over at the mill, but I believe I just saw Mrs. Ingalls in the mercantile..." Mrs. Foster smiled. "Maybe Caroline would be able to help you instead."

"Thank you, ma'am..." Fred said, tipping his Civil War cap to the women and headed into the mercantile.

Mr. Oleson was at the counter, with Caroline looking at some bolts of calico...

"Excuse me...but I'm looking for a Mrs. Caroline Ingalls..." Fred said, and Caroline turned around.

"I'm Caroline Ingalls..."

"Mrs. Ingalls...I'm sure you can see by my attire that I've just come out of the war...Ummm...I was a friend of a relative of your husband's...Paul Ingalls..."

"Yes...I remember Paul...Such a sweet boy..." Caroline smiled, remembering him.

"Ummm...I have some news I need to tell you and your family..."

"News?" Caroline questioned.

"Yes ma'am...And it isn't good...I'm sorry to say..." Fred said...

**A/N: Paul Ingalls, Jake Henderson, Christi Loyalton are all my own characters. Yay! lol. And the idea that Fred was a medic in the war was my idea as well...He was never in the Civil War, because he wasn't even alive then! lol. He was born in 1886. He was in the German Army in 1907 to 1909 in the calvary and infantry division. :) **


	12. Chapter 12

"So...We are the only family that that young boy still had on this earth..." Caroline stated solemnly. Charles, Mary, Laura and Carrie were all around the table for supper that evening, with Fred as their guest.

"Yes, ma'am..." Fred said. "He said his Ma and Pa both died of typhoid...which was why he joined the army..."

"Why did the boy have to join the amy?...I said he could've stayed with us!" Charles said, in an angry tone.

"Charles, calm down..." Caroline said, trying to soothe him.

"I am calm!"

"Ummm...Mr. Ingalls...Paul wanted you to know that it was nothing against y'all...He was just a stubborn kid who wanted to be out on his own...Told me that himself..."

Spunky Laura, who was sitting next to Fred, changed the subject..."Do you play baseball, Fred?"

"Why sure! I used to...when I was about your age..." Fred said, biting into a slice of Caroline's homemade bread.

"Wanna play tommorrow?" Laura asked, with her eyes lighting up.

"Why sure! I'd love to!" Fred chuckled.

"Make sure you girls finish your chores first..." Caroline told them.

"Yes Ma." Mary said, and Laura echoed.

"What do you like to do, Mary?" Fred questioned kindly.

"She likes books..." Laura blurted out...

"Laura, eat your supper..."

"Yes Pa..." Laura said, shoving a forkful of meat and potatoes into her mouth.

"So do you like reading books?...Writing? Poetry?" Fred began to carry on a conversation with 13 year old Mary.

"Yes sir...and well, I guess I just like school in general..." Mary smiled. "I'd want to be a teacher someday..."

"I think you'll make a great one someday...Just keep at it..." Fred said, winking at her...To which Mary's face lit up... "By the way, you don't need to call me sir...unless you want to, I guess..."

Mary studied his face. "How old are you Fred?...You look like you're about 16 or 17 ..."

Fred laughed, and it made his gray-blue eyes sparkle. "That's what alot of folks say...but I'm 20, Mary..."

"You look quite young for your age..."

"Why is that?" Laura asked.

"Well, Laura I guess it just runs in my family...My older brother Leonard looks younger than his age..."

"How old is he?" She asked him.

"He's 22, Laura..." Fred smiled.

"Do you have any sisters?"

"Yes. One. Her name is Barbara..."

"Where does she live?" Mary asked.

"My older brother and sister both live in Germany..."

"So you're the baby of the family! So's Carrie." Larura said.

"I see that." Fred said, smiling at little Carrie. Who was staring at him.

"So how come you live in America and your brother and sister live in Germany?" Laura asked curiously.

"Laura, you didn't need to ask him that..."

"Its alright, Mary." Fred laughed... "Well, Laura...much like your third cousin, I was a stubborn little boy and wanted to be out on my own..."

"Didn't you miss your Ma and Pa?"

"They passed away...My Pa when I was a year old and my Ma when I was three."

"I don't know...what I would do...without Ma...and Pa..." Carrie spoke up.

"Well, I still miss them Carrie. Like any son would..." Fred smiled at her.

Mary looked as if she were about to say something, but she closed her mouth...

"What Mary?" Fred asked...

"Oh...I was just wondering...If your Ma passed on when you were three, who took care of you?"

"Well, I was adopted by an older couple and they...took care of me...I rather not talk about that though, if you don't mind...but let's just say I left home at age 15..."

After supper, after Mary and Laura had cleared the table, Charles brought out his fiddle and started to play a few songs. Later, Laura suggested he play, "Arkansas Traveler." So he did, and everyone clapped along to the music, and Fred even lifted Mary out of her chair, and holding hands, they moved their feet along to the music. Mary's face was lit up, as was Fred's..."Can you keep up, Fred?" She questioned.

"You betch'a!"

"Faster Pa!" Mary laughed. And Charles picked up on the speed...and Fred and Mary danced faster. Charles later, got even faster, until Fred couldn't dance any faster!

With a smile on his face, he pulled Mary into a quick hug. "My...aren't you a good dancer! You beat me!" Fred laughed and smiled down at Mary. Mary beamed up at him.

Charles, as he did most nights, played on his fiddle, "In the Sweet By and By..." Fred leaned his elbows on the table and just listened to him play...Afterward, Mary and Laura said goodnight and went up to their loft and got ready for bed.

Mary was sitting on their bed, and was brushing out her long, blond hair, with a giddy smile on her face.

"Why are you so quiet?"

"I am?...Oh. I didn't notice..." Mary said, still smiling.

"Sisters..." Laura muttered, rolling her eyes, and after saying their prayers, they got into bed.

Mary lay awake for awhile, thinking about Fred..."Laura..." She whispered..."Laura...Are you awake?"

"No...I'm in a deep deep sleep. Of course I'm awake! If I weren't, I wouldn't be talking to you right now!"

Mary ignored Laura's annoyed attitude. "What do you think of Fred?"

"He's nice." Laura said.

"Well, I know he's nice...but don't you think he's handsome?" Mary smiled.

"Mary...I'm 11...He's 20...Why would I think he's handsome?"

Mary sighed happily. "I think he is... With his blond hair...Gray-blue eyes...That smile of his..."

"He's too old.." Laura said.

"No...Not really...He 's 20, I'm 13..That's only 7 years! When I'm 20, he'd be 27...It wouldn't be that much of a difference...When we got married..."

"Who says you're marrying Fred, Mary?"

"I meant IF..." Mary said sharply.

"That's a pretty big IF!"

"Says you..": Mary said...

"Mary..."

"Yes Laura?" She whispered.

"Go to sleep!"

"Okay." Mary sighed.

Laura turned over on her side. "Mary..." She whispered.

"Yes Laura." Mary whispered back...

"You like Fred, don't you." Laura smiled.

Mary laughed, "What gave you the first clue?...Now lets get to sleep! You were the one who just said to!"

"Goodnight, Mary." Laura said, turning back over on her side.

Mary smiled, and closed her eyes..."Goodnight.."

Mary opened her eyes again. "So you really don't think he's handsome?"

"Mary!...Go to sleep!"

"Goodnight Laura." Mary smiled and closed her eyes again, and both girls soon drifted off to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

The next day was Saturday, and Mary and Laura went out to do their chores. Fred was taking clothes out of his carpet bag so he could get dressed. He slept on the floor in front of the fireplace last night. Charles suggested that Fred sleep out in the barn that night, but Fred denied. Being in a barn like that reminded Fred of his horrible, rotten, miserable childhood...It reminded him of the beatings he suffered through, given by his aweful adopted mother, Mrs. Beck...And Fred feared that he would start screaming in his sleep as he always did when he remembered it...He was afraid he would scare the Ingalls to pieces, and of course...he didn't want to remember his childhood...

Fred was dressed in brown trousers and a red and brown plaid shirt...He was combing his hair in front of the looking glass. Caroline was clearing the table from that morning's breakfast.

"Oh Fred...Your trousers!...You've got the knees ripped out of them! And your shirt sleeve..."

Fred looked at his clothes..."Oh...Sorry, Mrs. Ingalls...I'm not much of a sewer! And so I just use things till they can't be used no more!" He chuckled. "...And the army always provided clothes for us to wear...so..."

"That's alright...Just go and change into some of Charles' clothes and I'll fix yours for you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ingalls..." Fred said, going into Charles and Carolines room. There, he found some tan trousers of Charles' and a blue plaid shirt. He changed into them and came into the front room...

"Ummmm...Mrs. Ingalls..." He chuckled slightly..."We have a bit of a problem!"

Caroline turned around and covered her mouth to keep from laughing. There stood, 5 foot, 6 inches tall, all 155 pounds of Fred, and it looked like he was almost swimming in Charles' clothes. Charles' suspenders were even a little too big on Fred.

"I see we do!" Caroline laughed. "Can you tuck the shirt in?"

"Ummm...It is..." Fred said, looking down and then back up at Caroline.

Caroline laughed. "Ummm...Try and fix the suspenders so they fit you...and I guess you best be going over to the mercantile to get some trousers and and new shirt. So you'll have an extra set of clothes and you can change into those instead...Here I have some money..." Caroline said, reaching into her handbag.

"Oh no, Mrs. Ingalls...I'll pay for it!" He said, walking out the door...

Caroline went to the door and saw Fred met up with Mary and Laura, with him putting an arm around each girl..."That boy..." Caroline said, smiling and shaking her head.

Charles came up behind her. "He's not a boy, Caroline,...he's a man."

"That he is...And a good man, at that...I can tell..."

Charles smiled..."Just don't be playing matchmaker with him and one of our girls..."

"Charles..."

"What? Don't you think he's a little old for them?"

"So you wouldn't like it if one of your daughters married an older man..."

"Caroline...That boy's 20...Mary's only 13!..."

"Who said anything about Mary?..."

"I'm just using her as an example...They're 7 years apart!"

"Charles...Have you forgotten that you and I are only 5 years apart?"

"I guess you got me on that one, Mrs. Ingalls..." Charles said, giving her a kiss on the lips.

Laura, Mary and Fred were walking into town, and as planned they stopped at the mercantile so Fred could buy a set of clothes. Laura saw Mrs. Oleson at the counter and whispered to Fred..."Better watch out for Mrs. Oleson...She ain't nice to nobody!"

"She isn't and its...'Anyone'" Mary corrected.

Fred chuckled at the girls and then he whispered to Laura. "I think I know the type." He winked at her. Fred walked up to the counter.

"Oh...Hello...How may I help you?" Harriet said, smiling fakely and batting her eyelashes.

"Oh, I'd just like to look at your selection of shirts and uh...trousers." Fred smiled.

"Ah...Sunday best?"

"Um...No ma'am...For everyday..."

"I see..." She said flatly and brought him a few shirts and a few pairs of trousers.

"I'll take the brown trousers and the green plaid shirt...Please."

"What size?"

"Trousers are my size already...and I take a medium in shirts..." Fred knodded, smiling.

Mrs. Oleson grabbed his purchases. "Here you are then...That will be, oh...lets see...50 cents."

"Thank you, ma'am..." Fred said, paying her.

Just then Nellie and Willie came running in and up to the counter. Nellie grabbed a jar of licorice. Willie stuck his hand into a jar of gumballs...Fred was very surprised that they would just come barging in there and take handfulls of candy!

"Their parents own the mercantile..." Mary whispered to Fred, who looked shocked. Laura whispered to Mary, "Don't say it too loud! Nellie'll start bragging like she always does!"

"I see...said the blind man...to his deaf friend..." Fred said, who still had a look of shock of his face.

Mary and Laura laughed at Fred...He smiled down at them, and he winked at Mary.

"Who's he?" Willie obnoxiously asked, shoving a few gumballs into his mouth.

"I'm Fred Lay...A new friend of the Ingalls'."

"Oh..." Willie said, and he left the mercantile.

"So...Fred..." Nellie said, staring at him..."What brings you to Walnut Grove?...And why would you want to be friends with...Mary...and Laura?..." Nellie said, snearing at saying their names.

"Well Nellie, I just got out of the war...and one of my friends was a relative of the Ingalls'..."

"Why didn't he come intsead of you?...He's _related_ to them...isn't he?" Nellie said, glaring at the girls. "_I'd feel sorry for anyone who was related to...THAT.." _She thought.

"Nellie...My friend...died...in the war." Fred said solemnly. "...And for me wanting to be friends with the Ingalls girls...Well, why not? They're nice girls...And by my first impression of you, that's something you need to work on, Nellie..." He told her..."C'mon Mary...Laura..." Fred said, linking an arm around each girl and they walked out of the mercantile, leaving Nellie standing there...dumbfounded.

Fred and the girls got halfway down the road out of town and the girls busted up laughing!

"I can't believe how you stood up to Nellie like that, Fred!...You just met her!" Mary exclaimed. A smile was spread across her face.

"It wasn't so hard!" Fred smiled. "I just spoke my mind...and I believe you should stand up for yourself!

"Well, it sure worked!...Nellie didn't know what to say after that!" Laura laughed.

Fred chuckled..."I guess sometimes...me speaking my mind gets me in trouble."

They all laughed..."Reminds me of someone I know." Mary said.

"Don't look at me!" Laura laughed.

Mary laughed..."Nellie probably didn't say anything, because she knows what you said is true, Fred!"

"Probably!" Fred and Laura, both said at once, and then they busted up laughing.

Fred and the Ingalls girls had made it home and Fred ran ahead up to the front door and held it for them..."After you, ladies..." He said and watched Laura go in, but Mary stood at the door, smiling up at Fred.

Fred smiled and put a hand on his hip. "You gonna go inside yet, Mary?" Mary was still gazing at Fred.

"Sure..." Mary smiled and walked through the door. Fred laughed to himself and followed her inside.

Caroline was getting supper ready and Mary and Laura were helping her. Fred was helping out by keeping little Carrie occupied. They were at the kitchen table, with Fred bouncing her on his knee. Carrie was smiling and laughing, she loved it!

Fred smiled down at her..."My two nieces love it when I do this...Bet ya they think they're ridin' a horse!...Their names are Anna and Elisabeth...I think they're around your age."

"My middle name's Elizabeth!" Laura spoke up.

"Its a real pretty name, isn't it?" Fred said. Laura smiled.

"Mary's is pretty too...Her's is Amelia..."

"Also a pretty name!" Fred looked at Mary, who was grinning at him.

"Fred...What's your middle name?" Laura asked.

"John..."

"Is your first name Fredrick?"

"Nope...Its just Fred." He smiled.

"Why's that?" Mary asked.

Fred smiled..."Gosh Mary...I'm not quite sure...I guess my Ma and Pa just didn't care for the name, so they named me...just Fred..."

"My baby brother's middle name was Fredrick...His name was Charles,...after Pa..." Carrie spoke up.

Mary put her hands on Carrie's shoulders..."Ma told us not to talk about Freddy..." She whispered.

Fred, getting the message, changed the subject a little..."I'm named after my Pa."

Laura smiled. "Was his name Fred?"

"Nope...His name was John..." Fred smiled.

That night at supper, Mary got to sit by Fred. She thought a few times, that Fred moved his leg and his knee touched her leg...and when she would look at him,...Fred would smile at her. That made Mary look away and a smile would spread across her face.

"Wanna go swimming with us tommorrow, Fred?" Laura asked.

"Why sure." Fred said.

"Laura...Tommorrow's Sunday...We have church."

"Yes Ma...but I meant after church...:" She smiled.

"Will you be coming with us tommorrow, Fred?" Caroline asked.

"I...ummm...wasn't really planning on it..."

"You don't go to church?" Charles asked.

"No sir...I stopped going when I was 12...Haven't darkened a church door since..."

Charles just stared at him.

"Why haven't you?" Mary asked Fred.

"I have my reasons..." Fred said and began to remember going to church as a young boy...It was all coming back to him now...No,...he didn't dare act up in church, for Leah Beck would've surely tanned his hide...So when he did attend, he sat in the pew in front of Mr. and Mrs. Beck, scared stiff if he acted up that she would do something to him...Fred also began to remember when there was a new preacher at the church they attended. He was a hard preacher. One that preached Hell-fire and brimstone. He sure knew how to shell the corn, so to speak!

...FLASHBACK...

_The hard preacher, as he would preach, would get turn all red, and get really excited. Fred was sitting in the front row, watching him and listening to him preach..._

_"__**There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: **_

_**And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, **_

_**And DESIRING to be FED..." **__He raised his voice, and continued, bringing his voice down a notch.__** "...with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. **_

_**And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; **_

_**And in HELL**__," The preacher screamed the word, and scared young 12 year old Fred to pieces! Fred was practically glued to the back of the pew and he still listened as the preacher was preaching__**,"...he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. **_

_**And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am TORMENTED in this flame." **__The young preacher preached with such emotion,...and he was LOUD! He would holler and jump up and down, wave his arms, pound his hand on the pulpit!..._

_**"But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. **_

_**And beside all this, between us and you there is a GREAT gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you CANNOT;..."**__ The preacher yelled, and continued, __**"... neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. **_

_**Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: **_

_**For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment." **__"...You see! The rich man had a great burden for his own brothers! His own family! He didn't want them to end up in that horrible place,...as he had!" The preacher preached...___

_**"Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. **_

_**And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. **_

_**And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead..." **_

_The preacher was still preaching, this time, out of another portion of Scripture..._

_**"And if thy hand offend thee, CUT IT OFF:" **__He yelled, for emphasis. __**"...it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: **_

_**WHERE THEIR WORM DIETH NOT, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED:"**__ The preacher hollered, pounding his pulpit._

_**"And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the FIRE that NEVER shall be quenched: **_

_**Where their worm dieth not, and the FIRE is not quenched..." **__He screamed, pounding his pulpit once more, every time he did, it made Fred jumped almost out of his skin!_

_**"And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: **_

_**Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. **_

_**For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. **_

_**Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another..."**_

_The young, Hell-fire warning, screaming preacher, ended his sermon by begging for people to accept Christ as their Saviour and as the Lord of their life...He pleaded with tears streaming down his face...All the while, Fred thought the preacher was pointing his bony, skinny finger right in his face...The preacher called an invitation and Fred was so scared...he gripped the back of the pew as tightly as he could. He was so scared and under so much deep conviction, his arms and hands and knees were shaking...As soon as the church service was over, Fred slipped out as quickly as he could, and went out to the wagon..._

_...END OF FLASHBACK..._

"Fred...Fred..." Charles kept saying. "Fred..."

"Wh-what? Huh?" Fred said, snapping out of it..."What?"

"I said...You're allowed to come with us to church tommorrow...but we're not gonna force you..."

Fred knodded slightly and remained quiet through the rest of his supper.


	14. Chapter 14

That night, on the bedding mat he used in the Civil War, Fred was asleep in front of the Ingalls' firplace...Well into the night, he dreamed a dream...In fact, it wasn't just a dream, it was a nightmare!

_There he was...in the middle of a vast, vast space and just up ahead was a lake...but not any ordinary lake...This lake was a burning lake! A lake...that BURNED with fire and brimstone! In this lake, Fred saw body after body after body come up to the surface...As each one did, they were screaming, crying,...gnashing their teeth,...clawing the ground, trying to escape from the burning liquid fire...but then, like clockwork, each body would go under again, the liquid fire choking them and muffling their screams...__**"**__**Where their worm dieth not, and the FIRE is not quenched..." **__ Fred heard a strong man's voice beller...He recognized it as that young preacher's voice. "Wh-What?" Fred muttered. __**"**__**Where their worm dieth not, and the FIRE is not quenched..." **__It spoke again.__ Fred saw another body come up again out of the burning fire...Someone he recognized...It was his army buddy, Jake Henderson...Immediately, Fred tried to go to him, but he stopped at the edge of the vast space...It was like he was unable to cross over...Something prevented him...__**"**__**And beside all this, between us and you there is a GREAT gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you CANNOT; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." **__He heard the voice beller...___

_Fred stood there...as he saw Jake bobbing up and down in liquid fire, waves crashing over him. Fred heard him screaming...almost those same words he was screaming when he died that day on the battlefield,..."Lay! Lay you've gotta help me!...Get me out of here! Help me!..." A burning wave crashed again..."Get me out of this burning FIRE!...HELP ME!" ...__**"**__**Where their worm dieth not, and the FIRE is not quenched..." **__The preacher's voice rang in Fred's ears...He saw more and more and more waves crash over Henderson's floating body. "Help me, Lay!...HELP ME!" He screamed as another firey wave crashed again._

_Fred stood there, unmoving..."I can't Henderson!...I'M SORRY!" He shouted across the great, vast gulf._

_"Then make sure you find out how NOT to come here, Lay!" Henderson screamed. "Its horrible down here!...I don't want you here! Suffering like me!" ...__**"**__**Where their worm dieth not, and the FIRE is not quenched..." **__ The young preacher's voice hollered again! The voice was almost defening...Now it seemed like Fred was getting closer and closer to the burning lake and yet another a body came up out of the hot, burning liquid fire...The person grabbed Fred's leg and he felt their hot, burning touch...The person started to pull Fred down into the lake, and Fred kept feeling hotter and hotter...Fred started screaming, "Don't pull me into the FIRE!...I can feel it already! I can feel the FIRE!" ...__**"**__**Where their worm dieth not, and the FIRE is not quenched..." **__ He heard the preacher's voice scream again. "OH GOD!...I know what the fire is now! I know what the burning FIRE is!...Don't pull me into the FIRE!...I don't want to go to HELL!...I DON'T WANT TO GO TO HELL!" He screamed...Fred felt himself falling into the burning liquid fire..._And suddenly, he shot up out of his sleep and realized he was lying on the floor before the fireplace...Fred had broken out into a cold sweat but he could still feel the heat from the fire in the Ingalls' fireplace...He was panting hard, and he felt a hand on his shoulder...He looked up and saw it was Charles...

"Pa...Is...Is Fred okay?" He turned his head and saw Mary, with Laura standing next her, dressed in their nightgowns and nightcaps...Tears were streaming down Mary's face.

"You alright, son?" Charles asked.

"Yes sir...I...I just had an aweful nightmare...That's all...I'm sorry I woke you up, Mary and Laura...Gosh, I'm sorry I woke you ALL up!" Fred said, running his hands up over his nose, the rest of his face, and his, now messy, blond hair...

"You sure you're alright, Fred?" Caroline questioned him gently. "How about I make you a cup of hot coffee...or some hot tea..." She said, touching his shoulder.

"Coffee please, Mrs. Ingalls..." Fred said, getting up from the floor and taking a seat at the kitchen table...

"What did you dream, Fred?..." Laura asked him..."It always helps me if I tell Ma and Pa about my bad dreams."

"Laura..." Caroline softly said. "Maybe Fred doesn't want to tell you his dream..."

Laura looked over at Fred..."I'd rather not...If that's okay, Laura." He told her. Laura walked over and wrapped hers arms around him. "You look like you need a hug, Fred..."

He smiled a little. "Thanks Laura..."

"Now...I think you girls better be getting back to bed..." Charles said.

"Yes sir." Laura said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight Pa."

"Goodnight Pa." Mary said, hugging him..."Goodnight Fred...Hope you're okay."

Fred smiled a half smile. "Thanks Mary...G'night."

Mary smiled at him and then followed Laura up to the loft.

"Laura!" Mary said, as she threw herself on their bed.

"What?"

"Why do you have to go around hugging Fred?"

"He looked like he needed one, Mary!"

"Yeah but..." Mary said, in a high pitch. "I'm the one who likes him! Not you!"

"Well, if you like him so much...Why don't you go down there and hug him?" Laura said.

_"Yeah...like I'd have the guts to do that!" _Mary thought to herself.

The next day was Sunday, and the Ingalls' were about to head out to go to church.

"You know, Fred...We really would enjoy it if you'd come to church with us this morning...but its your choice..." Caroline told him.

"Are we still going swimming after church, Ma?" Laura asked. She looked hopefully at Fred.

"If you still want me to...Just come get me after church, then..."

So the Ingalls' headed off to church without Fred...He stayed home and tried not to fall asleep. It was hard because he didn't go back to sleep after his nightmare...Fred was afraid that if he fell back asleep, his dreams would haunt him again...

After church, Caroline packed a picnic lunch and Charles, Fred and the girls all went swimming in the swmming hole...They dressed down to their underclothing and headed for the water. Fred had a running start and jumped the lake, making a cannonball. Mary and Laura took the rope and swung into the lake. Charles started to splash Laura, and Fred ganged up on Mary. Laura wanted revenge, so she started splashing Charles and then Fred. Charles wanted to be funny and so he dunked Fred underwater.

Fred laughed..."Charles! Payday someday, buddy!"

"What could you do?...You broomstick with a face!" Charles teased.

"When you least expect it, Charles! When you least expect it!" He laughed, getting out of the water so he could get some of that good fried chicken Caroline had made. Fred's soaking wet underclothing stuck to his skin, showing off his slightly toned body...Mary couldn't help but stare at him!

"Mary!...You have a sick mind!" Laura said.

"What? I didn't say anything!"

"Yeah...but I'm sure you thought it!...You were staring at him long enough!"

"I was not!" Mary insisted. "And you're the one who brought it up Laura! And just what do you think that I was thinking?...I think you're the one with the sick mind!"

Charles looked at Mary...and then at Laura and started to laugh. He just couldn't help it!


	15. Chapter 15

Fred had stayed with the Ingalls for a month, and he had grown to love Walnut Grove so much, he decided to move there! The Ingalls put him up in the little sod house and Fred had sent for the his rest of his few things that were still in Pennsylvania...Charles got Fred a job at the mill, which was new to Fred, but he learned the new trade very quickly. He was hard at work one late afternoon, when Laura and Mary came up to him...

Fred smiled. "Hey girls!...How are y'all this mighty fine afternoon?"

"We're doing good, Fred!" Mary told him. "How are you?"

"I'm just grand!" He smiled, putting his hands on his hips. "Hey, I was just about to stop and have some lunch...Join me?"

"Sure!" Laura said excitedly, and sat down next to Fred.

"Mary..." Fred said, patting the space next to him. Mary smiled at him and sat down...

Fred took a bite of a ham, cheese and butter sandwich. "Boy...Your Ma sure makes a mean sandwich!..." He said, smiling at the girls. "She made me take three or four of 'em!"

"Ma does make yummy sandwiches!" Laura said, enjoying one. Her's was an applebutter sandwich.

Fred found that Mary was gazing at him. He smiled at her. Mary blinked a few times and quickly looked away.

_"Stop staring at him, Mary!" _She thought to herself. "_You shouldn't be doing that!" _Mary found herself looking at him again. At times, her eyes wandered to his chest and his stong arms and then back up at his face. "_Why did I just DO that?" _She thought, feeling guilty. "_I can't help it, though!...He's...He's so...good-looking!" _Mary thought, gazing at Fred again.

Fred smiled at her..."Something the matter, Mary?...You sure are quiet today..."

"Oh...uh...uh...ummmmm...N-Nothing's wrong!...I...I think I hear Ma calling us...C'mon Laura!" She said, grabbing Laura's hand and leaving quickly.

"Hm!...Well, that was akward!" Fred said to himself. He bit into a big, juicy, red apple...He sat there thinking about how strangely Mary had been acting lately..._"She's been really quiet aound me...She's been staring at me...Smiling at me every chance she gets. She seems right nervous around me...Huh...I think that lil lady likes me!"_ Fred smiled, thinking it was cute of Mary to have a crush on him...He finished the rest of his apple and went back to work at the saw mill, sawing long boards in half...

"Mary! Why'd you do that? Ma didn't call us!" Laura said, annoyed with her older sister.

"That was horrible, Laura! I made a complete fool of myself in front of Fred!"

"What are you talking about?...You hardly said anything to him at all!"

"That's the problem!...I just sat there...and when I did say something, I got all nervous and stuttery!"

"And you stared all lovestuck at him..." Laura added.

"He probably thinks I'm so...stupid!"

"Well, then don't stare at him like that!" Laura told her..."Boys are yucky to me anyway..."

"Not to me..." Mary said.

"I know...Yucky!" Laura said, shaking her head.


	16. Chapter 16

Fred had thought it was very cute that young, 13 year old Mary Ingalls had a crush on him, so...he started to play along...He'd smile at her, stand a little too close to her at times, and talk to her and got to know her well. They developed a very sweet friendship...but soon, Fred found himself falling a little for Mary...just as she had for him... They were going later down to the lake to have a little picnic together...Now, they were walking though town together...arm in arm, talking and laughing and enjoying being with each other. Folks...well,...mainly...Mrs. Oleson would talk about them being together. She could see them from the mercantile window...

"Nels!...Have you ever seen such a thing!"

"What thing, Harriet?" He asked in a weak tone, looking up at the ceiling.

"That...That Fred Lay...and the Ingalls girl!" She said, looking though the window at them. Fred had his arm around Mary's waist and was smiling down at her...

"What's the problem with them, Harriett?...They seem like a cute young couple..."

"But a young man...making advances to a little girl like Mary Ingalls!...Scandelous!"

"Harriett...Mary isn't a little girl anymore...She's a young woman..."

"He is 7 years older than she!...I think he should find someone more his age!"

"And does the rest of the world go by what you think?"

"Hmpf!...Nels..." Mrs. Oleson said, glaring at him. "Well,...if the rest of the world would...they'd be a lot wiser."

"No, they'd be alot more foolish...I of all people should know." Nels muttered.

Fred and Mary were walking down the gravel road to the lake. He was carrying the picnic basket, with a blanket tucked under his arm, and his free hand held Mary's gently.

"Ma made fried chicken again...She knew how much you enjoyed it..." Mary smiled up at Fred...

"And what what else do we have to go with our feast, Miss Ingalls?" He said, trying to peek in the basket he was carrying.

"Hey! No peeking!" Mary laughed, reaching up and covering his eyes with her hand.

"Alright!...I'll be a good little boy!...For once!" He laughed, and Mary giggled as well.

"You're good, Fred...You're very sweet...and...and respectful...I...I'm very proud to know you." Mary smiled.

Fred stopped in the middle of the road and looked Mary in the eyes. "I think that deserves a kiss, Mary Ingalls." Mary became excited, though a tad bit afraid, as Fred leaned forward...and he planted a soft kiss on her cheek. All Mary could do was gaze up at him.

"And I'm proud to know you too, Mary..." He smiled.

They had picked out a nice grassy spot and Fred spread out the blanket. Fred layed down and made himself comfortable, with one knee up, and his hands under his head. Mary sat down on the blanket next to him, her arms supporting her...

"You'll be in for a treat later, Fred!...I made the dessert." Mary smiled.

"Any clues?" Fred smiled up at her...

"Nope!" She laughed.

"Well, shuckie darn!" Fred laughed. "You're no fun!"

Mary giggled and set out the fried chicken, deviled eggs, and jars of homemade lemonade. The two enjoyed their little feast, talking and laughing...and at one point of the convesation, it got quiet.

"Mary?" Fred questioned, he could tell she was thinking about something.

"Ummm...It...It bothers me a little,...that... that you..." Mary began.

"That I what, Mary?" He asked, puzzled.

She sighed..."That you don't go to church...I mean, why don't you?"

"Mary,...I told you before. I have my reasons..."

"I guess it just seems strange to me...since I've always gone to church..."

Fred knodded slightly.

"You know I won't force you,...but I would like you to come...Just once."

Fred remained silent for a few minutes.

"Oh...I guess that's enough of that conversation...Ready for dessert, Fred?" Mary smiled.

"Sure..." He smiled.

The couple enjoyed a large slice of chocolate cake together.

"Mhmm..." Fred smiled as he finished the last bite. "My compliments..."

Mary blushed. "So it was good?...Not too sweet?...How about the chocolate icing?"

"Mary, it was all wondeful..." He smiled. "I'd like to do this again."

"So would I." She smiled at him.

Months had passed, and there was a church social in Walnut Grove...A Fourth of July dance...Fred had agreed to attend one service at the Walnut Grove church and had been attending regularly ever since. He liked it that Rev. Alden was calmer than the one he had been under as a child...so Fred began to feel at ease with going to church again...Fred had taken Mary to the social and they danced awhile until Christi Loyalton approached them.

"Mind if I cut in?" She sweetly asked.

"If its alright with Mary..." Fred said, looking in her blue eyes.

"Of course..."

Fred and Christi started dancing while Mary went off to get a glass of cool lemonade and later talked with a boy her age.

"So why are you so interested in that Ingalls girl?...You wouldn't be happier with someone your own age?" Christi asked Fred.

"Mary?..." Fred smiled at saying her name..."Well...She's a pretty girl... and I like pretty girls...Can't blame me...Can you?" He smiled.

"Don't you think she's a little young for you?"

"I don't think so...We're only 7 years apart...So were my parents..."

Christi laughed..."Yeah...but you're not your parents, Fred."

"Oh, I know that...But it would be a cute similarity...And I guess I'm just attracted to younger women..."

"Not a woman your age...Like me." She stated. "...And are you saying you're going to marry that young girl, Fred Lay?..."

"Well, I don't know...You never know what the future holds..." Fred said, smiling...and then there was a slight silence..."Wh-why such an interst in this, Christi?...Unless actually...you're interested in...me..." He said quietly and looked at her...

Christi smiled shyly up at him..."When...when we met on the stagecoach that day...I thought we connected so well...I just thought..."

Fred spoke up..."I don't know if I'm the guy for you, Christi...And even though we may start courting,...I really don't know if I'm the right guy for Mary, to tell the truth...but like I said, you never know what the future holds..."

As Christi was about to say something, a young man approached them and asked to dance with her...she allowed him to cut in and Fred walked off to find Mary...

"Mary..." Fred smiled and grabbed her hands and kissed her cheek...

"How was dancing with Christi?" She asked...

"Alright...Not as fun as dancing with you though..."

Mary smiled up at him...and Fred ushered her outside. It was a warmer night in July and the silver stars were twinkling in the black, velvety night sky...Fred and Mary sat down on a bench...their hands on the bench next to each other...They gazed up at the night sky for awhile...both of them silent...

"So...did you take me outside just so we could look at the sky?" Mary laughed and looked over at him. She saw that Fred was quiet,...so she stopped laughing.

"Ummmm...No...I wanted to tell you something..."

Mary smiled. "Which is?"

"Ummmmmm...I...I uh...asked your Pa...last week...for permission to...to court you, Mary..." He looked up nervously at her.

Mary looked at him,...almost shocked. "Well...what did he say?"

"He said it was alright with him...Do you want to?"

"Yes..." Mary smiled.

"What?" Fred turned his head and smiled at her...

"Yes...Yes, I want to court you, Fred."

"I...um...made you something..." He pulled something with a pink ribbon out of his pocket... "Turn around..." He smiled...

While still sitting on the bench, Mary turned her back to him and he put something around her neck. Mary sat there, looking at it...It had her initials on it, _M.A.I._

"Its an arrowhead...I chipped it myself...I know its not really romantic, but...I thought the pink ribbon would class it up a little bit...Pink meaning romance, love and friendship...and pink's a girl's color." Fred smiled.

"Its beautiful...and it is romantic..." She said, looking up at him..."Because you made it for me."

Fred placed his hand on her knee, gently...and leaning forward and closing his eyes,...he kissed her.

"I'm sorry..." He said, when he saw that Mary was staring at him.

"Don't be sorry...I liked it." She smiled..."Besides...You are courting me now...Aren't you?"

Fred smiled and leaned forward and planted another sweet kiss on her lips.


	17. Chapter 17

As they were sitting on the bench, kissing, fireworks began to go off,...it being the 4th of July. They looked up at the beautiful explosions of bright color,...reds, blues, greens, yellows, oranges,...all the colors of the rainbow,...in all shapes and sizes. Fred put his arm around Mary as she layed her head on his shoulder, and they sat there on the bench together, watching the fireworks...

The last firework had been set off...It was pink, and in the shape of a heart...Fred smiled down at Mary and she smiled up at him as well...

"Pink...for romance,...love,...and friendship..." He whispered. "I love you, Mary..." He said, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Mary couldn't believe Fred actually told her he loved her...She was speechless, and all she could do was smile up at him.

That night, before going to his place at the little sod house,...he and Mary stayed outside after Charles, Caroline, Laura and Carrie had gone inside.

Fred took Mary's hands in both of his and leaned down and kissed her forehead. "...I'd like to take you for another outing, Mary...Say, when I get off of work at the mill tommorrow...I'll come home, clean up and we can go do something together...How 'bout it?" He asked, smiling at her.

"Yes..." Mary whispered. Then, as quick as a wink, Mary stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him. "I love you, Fred John Lay..." She said to him before going inside.

He stood there outside the house for a few minutes,...just smiling. Fred trudged back to the little sod house with a smile on his face. He lit a lamp when he got inside, since the little soddy was as dark as night itself! He sat down on his bed and took off his shirt, and it was then that he saw the scars on his upper arms and on his chest...He looked at his strong, manly upper body in the mirror. He could still see the scars...Scars that still haunted him after years gone by...The scars were still very visible on his upper arms,...on his chest, they were hidden, because of his chest hair...but if you looked close enough, you could still see them...Fred denied the fact that he was angry about what he went through...the beatings, the torchure...the nights where he cried himself to sleep as a young child...Afraid that every move he made would end up with another beating from his adopted mother...but maybe he was...maybe he was angry still...just a little. And yet, he was upset that it happened to him and he was self-conscious of how he looked. He stared at his scars in the mirror..._"What if Mary and I get married after all...There's no way she'll think I'm...attractive...when I look like this...Or any woman...for that matter..."_ He thought. Fred blew out his lamp, got under the covers, and layed his head on his pillow...

Mary was sitting at the wooden vanity up in the loft, brushing out her pretty, blond hair...

"You must be really happy now that you're courting Fred, Mary...I can tell by that smile on your face." Laura said, already in bed and under the covers...

"What smile? This my regular smile..." Mary insisted...

Laura shook her head. "Nah-ah! That's a _special_ smile!...What happened, Mary?" She smiled at her older sister.

"He kissed me..." Mary said happily...

"He _kissed_ you?" Laura said, making a face...

"Yes...More than once..." She said, getting into bed beside Laura.

Laura scrunched up her nose and shook her head..."Yucky..."

"No...it wasn't...I liked it..."

"Yucky!" Laura said again. "I still think its yucky!"

"Think what you may, Laura Ingalls...It isn't..."

"Yucky..." Laura mumbled, turning over and closing her eyes.

"So you don't even have a crush on a boy?" Mary whispered.

Laura hesitated. "N-No..." She said at last...Actually, Laura sort of liked one of the new boys at the Walnut Grove school, Cole Griffin,...but she wouldn't admit it to anyone.

Mary smirked, and the rolled over on her side and closed her blue eyes..."Goodnight Laura..."

"Night Mary..."

The next day, just as he had promised, Fred had taken Mary out for a walk around town,...through beautiful, grassy prairie fields, a walk beside the lake,...and finally to the sweetheart tree...Mary wanted him to see it.

"Sweetheart tree?" Fred asked, staring up at the strong, tall tree...

"Yes...If someone liked another someone...they would carve their initials and the other person's too on the trunk of the tree...Its so romantic, isn't it..."

Fred began rummaging around in his trousers pockets...

Mary laughed..."What are you doing?"

"Trying to find my carving knife!" He smiled, pulling his hand out..."Found it!" Fred said, throwing it up in the air a few inches and caught it by the handle with one hand. "Don't look!" He said, turning her around. "No peeking! You told me that Mr. Edwards can't stand for no peeking...and neither can I!"

Mary giggled..."Okay..."

Fred began to work his magic on the trunk of that tree. He was good at carving on things and he enjoyed it very much... "All right...Turn around...Now you can look at it..." He smiled as Mary turned around and saw the words, _Fred L. and Mary I. _and a heart with a curved tip around the words...

Fred stood back with Mary to admire it, and he placed his hand on her back.

"Its wonderful Fred...Thank you..." Mary smiled up at him.

That next Sunday, everyone was in church...Rev. Alden was doing announcements...

"Now...I'd like Mary Ingalls and Fred Lay to stand up, please..."

Fred smiled at Mary, and holding each other's hand, they stood up from where they sitting together on the little pew in front of Charles and Caroline...Laura and Carrie were sitting in the pew in front of Fred and Mary...

Rev. Alden smiled at the young couple and spoke..."Fred and Mary would like to announce to the congregation that they are now courting...Rejoice with them in their courtship...and possible future marriage..."

Fred and Mary both sat down again, with Fred smiling down at her and not taking his eyes off of her one minute...

Christi Loyalton, sitting across the aisle and up aways, dressed in a light green Sunday dress, had her hands folded in her lap and her head down...She felt so low, like she had hit the bottom of the ocean...She was sad, because she wished she could be in Mary's place right now...and she wasn't...

Rev. Alden had finished his announcements and had begun to preach his sermon...

"Wait one minute!...I almost forgot! We have a new face here in Walnut Grove...Jess Lawson..." He said motioning into the congregation and a tall young man in his 20's stood up...

"There's a man for you, Christi..." Mrs. Foster nudged her...

"Aunt Melinda!" She whispered, embarrassed...but she was still looking at Jess.

"He is a very handsome young man..."

"Yes...I suppose so..." Christi whispered.

Jess Lawson had sat down, but he could feel a pair of eyes on him,...so he looked over.

Christi's eyes got wide...and embarrassed...she quickly looked away.

Jess Lawson smiled and chuckled to himself and looked up and payed attention to Rev Alden...

"Be sure to make him feel at home here...and I know you all will..." Rev Alden smiled and then began his sermon...

"You know...I had something totally different ready to preach for this wonderful Sunday morning,...but at times...the Good Lord lays other things upon your heart...as he did to me this morning, so all of you, turn to, Psalm 34:18, and we shall read our text for this morning..."

Rev. Alden began to read the Word of God,..."_The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit._"

He used another verse from Scripture, Psalm 147:3..."_He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."_

"And this last verse I shall share with you may as well be my life verse, Isaiah 61:1..." Rev. Alden smiled, and read the last verse..."_The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;_"

"I do have a point to these verses..." Rev. Alden chuckled..."I'm sure you noticed the repetiton of the words, broken heart...Whether it be..._of a broken heart..._or..._broken in heart..._or the last verse where it says..._to bind up the brokenhearted..."_

Rev. Alden walked around the little platform...one hand hanging on the side of the pulpit...and he solemnly spoke..."There are a few ways a heart could be broken...the loss of a loved one...losing a chance at love...being rejected by someone you loved..." That really hit Christi Loyalton hard...but she still listened to Rev. Alden speak. "...and many other things, I'm sure...but...there is hope! For, as the verses we read say, _The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart..._and..._He healeth the broken in heart..._The Lord is able...and willing to heal broken hearts..." Rev. Alden smiled..."If I remember correctly...there's a verse that says..."_Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.-1 Peter 5:7..._and..._My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever-Psalm 73:26." _He quoted the verses..."And the most wonderful verse I think, "_I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee..._Isn't it wonderful to know...that the Lord will always be there for us when we need Him...That He'll never, NEVER I say,...ever leave us...He's always there..."

Rev Alden soon closed the service and asked the congregation to stand all together..."Let us sing...'In the Garden'..."

The whole congregation stood to there feet, and sang...

"_I come to the garden alone  
While the dew is still on the roses  
And the voice I hear falling on my ear  
The Son of God discloses._

_And He walks with me, and He talks with me,  
And He tells me I am His own;  
And the joy we share as we tarry there,  
None other has ever known._

_He speaks, and the sound of His voice,  
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,  
And the melody that He gave to me  
Within my heart is ringing._

_And He walks with me, and He talks with me,  
And He tells me I am His own;  
And the joy we share as we tarry there,  
None other has ever known._

Rev. Alden smiled..."You are dismissed...Have a wonderful Sunday."

With that, all the people got up and started toward the church door. Rev. Alden stood at the door and shook folk's hands as they left...Some stood out in the churchyard talking and fellowshipping one another...Mrs. Foster walked up behind her neice, who was gazing at someone across the churchyard...

"Go up to that young man and introduce yourself!" She said, nudging her...

"Oh no! I will not go up to Jess Lawson and make a fool of myself!"

"You won't make you fool of yourself! Just go up there and say hello, Christi..."

"No!"

"Do I need to drag you over there?"

"No Aunt Melinda!...You do that and I will die of embarrassment!"

"You'll get over it...Go over there!" Mrs. Foster said, pushing Christi in the right direction...In the process, Christi almost bumped into Jess, but he caught her by the arms...

"Why hello there..." He chuckled..."Fancy meetin' you here..." Jess smiled.

"Umm...sorry..." She said, embarrassed, and her face turned a lovely shade of red.

"Its alright..." Jess smiled, steadying her.

"Ummm...I ummm...I just wanted to welcome you to...to Walnut Grove...I'm Christi Loyalton..." She said, nervously extending her hand...

"Jess Lawson..." He smiled shaking her hand...

"Ummmm...Bye..." She said, waving...and nervously left...

Jess stood there, watching her leave, with his hands on his hips. He smiled, shook his head and walked off to talk with some of the men.

_"You are so stupid, Christi Miriam Loyalton!" _She thought. _"Who knows what he thinks of you! You stood there all nervous,...staring at him!...Stupid!"_

"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Mrs. Foster said...

"It was horrible..." Christi stated, with a straight face..."I made a complete fool of myself in front of him!"

"You did not!...You over-react, Christi...Besides..." She smiled..."I think he likes you..."

"How could he?...He just met me and all I did was stutter and stare at him!"

"It wasn't that bad, Miss _'My Life Is Over' _Loyalton..." Mrs. Foster said, holding her by the shoulders. "Now come on...We have one good Sunday dinner waiting for us back at the house..." She said, guiding her niece to the buckboard.

"But I was all stuttery!" Christi still exclaimed...

"Don't dwell on your mistakes, sweetie...Look forward to good moments..." Mrs. Foster smiled.

**A/N: Christi and Jess are obviously my own characters. :)**


	18. Chapter 18

Time had passed for Jess and Christi...and things had changed...for the better of course. They had both fallen in love with each other and soon had begun courting.

It was the later part of September, the ending of the first harvest season...Walnut Grove decided to have a big celebration for it...One of the church members had a huge farm with a very nice barn on their property, so the church voted and decided to have the shin-dig there.

"I hope all of you have had a wonderful harvest season and have harvested many good crops..." Rev. Alden spoke to the crowd..."I know you all will thank the Lord for it...Well, it says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, _'For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.' _Now, I know all of you farmers, and your families, have worked extremely hard this year, so after I say a word of prayer...Let's eat!" He said with enthusiasm and everyone, including him, laughed...

Rev. Alden prayed for the feast and afterwards, everyone got a plate and went through the line. Later, Jess Lawson, holding Christi's hand, went up to the minister and asked if he could make an announcement.

"Certainly..." Rev. Alden said and addressed the large group. "Folks, listen up! Jess Lawson has something to tell everyone...Jess..." He motioned to him...

"Well, I'd like to say first thank you all for such a warm welcome...and I know I've only been in Walnut Grove for a year or so, but I feel like I've been here my whole life and I've gotten to know a great deal of you...Some,...more than others..." He smiled down at Christi, to which she smiled and blushed up at him. "What I'm trying to say is,...I've asked Christi Loyalton to marry me and she's said yes..." He said, pulling her into him with an arm around her waist...Everyone went up and congratulated them and later continued with the harvest celebration.

"Take a walk with me, Mary?" Fred asked, smiling at her...

"In the dark?"

"Sure...it'll be fun...and its not like you'd be alone!...I'll be with you!"

"Well, c'mon then...but let me ask Ma or Pa first..." She went and found her mother and asked permission...Caroline allowed her, and so the two set out on their walk...

"Your birthday's coming up in a few weeks. Happy early Birthday, Fred." Mary smiled.

"Thanks for the early birthday wish, Mary...22 years old on the 30th..." Fred smiled..."Its hard to believe..."

"Are you doing anything special?...We should throw you a party!" Mary said, with her eyes lighting up...

"Oh, no need..." Fred smiled..."I've never celebrated too big. Not used to it...I'm content as long as I live another day, and I have clothes on my back and food to eat..." He laughed.

"Your adopted parents never threw you a birthday party?..."

"No...I'm sure Amos would've done a little something for me...but Leah...Not a chance..."

"Why not?" Mary questioned.

"I never told you this...but I never had a good childhood...Leah didn't treat me so well...She beat me...plenty of times..."

Mary looked as if she were about to cry..."How could anyone do that?...Be so cruel and heartless!...That must've been aweful for you! What you went through..." She said, wrapping her arms around him and placing her head on his chest...

"Well, what's done is done...and I can't change the past...Its gone...never to return again...You're about one of the only folks I've told...It hurts too much to talk about...and remember...But I can't help but remember...when I see the scars on my body..."

"You don't have to say anymore..." Mary said quickly..."Plus, I'd hate to see a grown man cry..." She cupped her hands on his face...

Fred smirked...there was no way she'd see him cry...but then his smirk broke into a smile..."I just thought you should know...I mean...you'll see me like that...When we're married..." Mary blushed at the thought of seeing him...indecent...but also the thought of marrying him...She smiled..."If you ever get around to asking me..."

"I will...I'm waiting for the right time..."

"Can't spend forever waiting, you know..."

Fred grinned and knodded his head. "You're right..." He held Mary by the shoulders..."I do have something to tell you though..."

"Yes?"

"There's a new job offer in New Jersey this summer...A real good one...I'd be working at another saw mill..."

"That's wonderful!...Are you going to take it?...Oh you have to, Fred!" Mary beamed.

Fred reached up and stroked her cheek..."I'd be away from you. I don't want to do that, Mary...I'd be gone an aweful long time..."

"I'd hate to be away from you, too...But we love each other...Don't we?...No, amount of distance could come between that..."

"Right again..." Fred smiled.

"Just think on it awhile...don't make your decision in haste..." Mary said, looking into those wonderful gray-blue eyes...Fred gazed back at her for moment...He thought she looked so radiant and beautiful...the moonlight shining on her blonde hair.

"I will, Mary...I'll think on it...And I'll be sure to tell you my decision..."

"Well, you better..." She smiled, and soon their lips met in a kiss...

Fred and Mary continued their little walk and then soon returned to the harvest celebration...

Some months had passed and it was summertime...Fred and Mary had taken a walk together...He stopped suddenly."Mary..."

She turned around..."Yes, Fred..."

"I...I've decided to take that new job in New Jersey..."

"That's great!...I'm so happy for you..." She said quickly...Mary wrapped her arms around the back of his neck...

"Will you listen to me a minute?" He pleaded. "...I don't expect you to...but I'd like you to come with me...We can get married!...What do you say?" Fred said, holding up a ring with a simple diamond on it...It was all he could manage to afford...but it was enough...

Mary stared at him...she didn't know what posessed her to say 'yes' to him, but she did...

"I love you, Mary..." He said, lifting her up in his arms and spinning her around...Her hands clung to the back of his neck...She laughed with glee as he was spinning her around.

"Oh, I love you too!" She said, and kissed him...

"Let's go, Mary...The nearest Justice of the Peace is in Sleepy Eye..."

"Now?" She asked, astonished...

"Yes now!...The sooner the better! You want to be with me, don't you?"

"Of course I do!"

"C'mon!" He said excitedly, he took her by the hand and they ran over to his place (he had moved out of the sod house and into his own place, outside of Walnut Grove), got into his buckboard, and set out for Sleepy Eye...

It was none other than snooty, Nellie Oleson who overheard their conversation and saw them leave together...

"Mother!...MOTHER!" Nellie shouted, running into the mercantile to tell her mother the juicy gossip...

"What is it, Nellie dear?" Harriet asked...

"Its Fred Lay and Mary Ingalls!...They ran off together!...To Sleepy Eye!"

"The little hussie!...Just up and running off with a man like that!...He killed a man you know, more than one, in fact..."

"He did?" Nellie's eyes went wide...

"Yes, he told me that himself!...I was trying to set you two up and he told me he wasn't the right man for and you wouldn't want a man like him...and then he said..."

"That he killed someone!...My word!" Nellie gasped..."He's a criminal!"

Mrs. Oleson sneered..."And I heard he's a drunkard as well!...Not a good man if you ask me..."

What Fred didn't tell Mrs. Oleson, was the men he killed were the enemy that he defeated in the war...He just thought she'd put the facts together...Plus, he enjoyed messing with her head!...

"I just can't believe Mary Ingalls would do a thing like this!" Nellie said...

Just then, Caroline walked into the mercantile...wanting to sell a basket of eggs...

"Oh Caroline!" Mrs. Oleson wailed..."Have you heard about Mary?"

"What about Mary?..." Caroline asked...

"Its so horrible, Caroline!...I just can't believe Mary would do a thing like this!"

"Do a thing like what, Mrs. Oleson?" She asked...starting to get annoyed...

"She's run off! With that...that Fred Lay!...Nellie told me everything! He seduced her and she gave in...and...and they've run off to Sleepy Eye together!" Mrs. Oleson wailed.

"Its all true! I saw them drive away...in his buckboard!" Nellie said."I saw them with my own two eyes!"

"That doesn't sound at all like Mary...but you never know..."

"What's all the commotion around here?" Nels walked in the room.

"Mary Ingalls and Fred Lay ran off to Sleepy Eye together!" Nellie shouted...

"They wouldn't do that..." Nels said...

"They did, Father!...I saw them!"

"Would you like for me to go get Charles and we can get to the bottom of this, Mrs. Ingalls?..." Nels offered...

"If you would, Mr. Oleson..." Caroline said. "If you don't think its too much trouble, now..."

"It isn't...I'll head on over right now..."

"Charles, my wife and Nellie said something about Mary and Fred running off together to Sleepy Eye..." Nels said, when he went over to the mill...

"They WHAT?" Charles shouted.

"Now don't get all bent out of shape!...I just thought we'd head over and see what this is all about..."

"Right behind you..." Charles said, determinedly...and they headed out to Sleepy Eye in Charles' buckboard.

Mary and Fred were in the Justice of the Peace's home. They got there just as the sun was beginning to set in the sky...Fred knocked on the front door and they waited...

"I'm sorry all I'm wearing is my everyday gray dress..."

"Don't be sorry...You look beautiful, Mary..." Fred smiled down at her and she blushed...

"Hello? Who is it?...We've just sat down to supper..." Varnum, the Justice of the Peace said, when he opened the door.

"Sorry, to disturb you...but we would like to get married..."

He rolled his eyes..."Doesn't everyone...Well, that's what I'm here for...Come on in, then..."

Varnum, with Mary and Fred following behind him, went into the doorway of the kitchen..."Philomena! Get the rice!...Another wedding to do!" He hollered...

"What about the pot roast?" They heard her holler back...

"Just leave it there! We'll eat it later!" Varnum turned his attention to Mary and Fred..."So...Where are you two kids from?"

"Walnut Grove..." Mary replied...

"Walnut Grove..." He moaned, weakly..._"Not another one from Walnut Grove!...and they're both blonde too! Yup...this is gonna be a Nellie and the dumb pig farmer all over again...Boy, that kid was dumber than a box of rocks!...What was his name, again? Oh yeah...Luke..." _Varnum thought..."And your names?"

"Fred John Lay and Mary Amelia Ingalls..." Fred replied...

"Okay...let's get this show on the road...Just don't say, 'With this ring, I wed thee...' and put the ring on _my_ finger instead of hers..."

"Why would I do that?...And why would I even _think_ of doing that?" Fred asked, getting creeped out...

"Trust me...Its been done before..." Varnum said. "Okay...lets start already..."

Fred and Mary joined hands in front of Varnum, with his wife, Philomena standing off the the side of him...and they began.

"Do you...Fred John Lay...take this woman...to be your wife...To love, honor, obey and cherish till death do you part?..."

Fred looked down at Mary, smiled and then looked up at Varnum. "I do..." He solemnly said.

"Put the ring on her finger, lover boy..." Varnum said, flatly...

Fred slipped the ring on Mary's finger and they continued.

"Now, do you...Mary Amelia Ingalls...take this man to be your husband ...To love, honor...obey and...yada yada yada..." He said without any emotion...

Mary hesitated, as she was taken aback by this...but she opened her mouth and said, "I do."

"By the power vested in me by the state of Minnesota...I now pronouce you..." He hesitated and then said quickly..."Ya man and wife already!...Move it along, will ya!...Philomena...the rice, eh..."

Fred took Mary in to his arms and and they both leaned in...

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY DAUGHTER! YOU DIRTY, ROTTEN, PIECE OF SCUM!" Charles yelled, bursting through the door...Everyone was shocked...Varnum stood there and didn't move one muscle, Philomena had a handful of rice stuck up in the air and didn't throw a single grain of it...Mary clung onto Fred so tight, they both thought she'd rip the sky-blue shirt he was wearing...Yet, seeing her father in such rage made her let go of him, which gave Charles the opportunity to deck Fred right in the mouth...and sent him flying across the room!

"Pa!" Mary screamed, but Charles ignored her..."Get up and fight like a man...you coward!" He yelled, picking Fred up by the front of his shirt...Fred had his fists in front of him in an effort to protect himself...yet, Charles punched him once again...

"I'm _supposed_ to be the Justice of the Peace!..._Why _isn't there any _peace_ in my home...Ever?" Varnum wailed.

"Pa...STOP IT!" Mary yelled! And yanked his arm away from Fred...

"Stay out of this, Mary!" Charles yelled at her...

"Its about me! She snapped. "...And maybe I _wanted _to marry him!"

"I DON'T CARE! How could you run off like this and be so foolish, Mary?...I'm very ashamed of you!...Justice of the Peace, I want you to..." Charles began.

"I know, I know, I know!" Varnum yelled..."You want me to un-marry these two!...1, 2, 3, un-married yous two shall be!" He said, ripping up the marriage certificate..."Goodbye,...goodnight...drive safely! I'm going back into the kitchen to eat a good home-cooked meal in the little bit of peace I have left!"

"Oh Fred!" Mary wailed, clinging to him...

"Mary..." He tried to soothe her..."Maybe your Pa is right...Mary, face it...you deserve better than me..."

"No...No I don't! You're the one I want!" She said, tears streaming down her face...

"Mary..." Fred said, un-shed tears filling his eyes..."You've got your whole life ahead of you...I don't want to spoil it for you...You'll meet someone else and fall so deeply in love, you won't know what hit you...I'm sure of it..."

"Maybe you're right..." Mary gazed up at him..."But you know, I'll never forget you..."

"And I don't think I could get you out of my mind, Mary...You were my first real love...You'll _always_ hold a special place in my heart." He said, bringing her closer to him.

Mary slipped the ring off of her finger..."This belongs to you, then...And even though it was only for a few seconds...I was glad to be,..._Mrs. Lay._"

**A/N: Remember the Little House episode, "Here Come the Brides?" Where Nellie runs off and marries Luke Simms, the pig farmer's son? And Miss Beattle marries Adam Simms, the boy's father? Well, Varnum and Philomena are the Justice of the Peace and his wife in that episode?...lol. :) Which is from where I based this chapter on...**


	19. Chapter 19

Months later, Fred went aboard a train headed for Millville, New Jersey. The job offer he had taken was a job at a steel mill...he had thought it was another saw mill...Looks like he was missinformed!

Fred had a window seat and was gazing out the window at the beautiful scenery. Plenty of beautiful pines trees, grassy lands, a clear, bright blue sky, filled with fluffy white clouds...He would see farms some great miles apart from each other...Fred wondered where they were. They had been travelling awhile...

He felt someone's presence and looked up...It was one of the train's conductors.

"Enjoying the ride, sir?...Anything I can get you?...A sandwich, perhaps...Sarsparilla? Anything?"

"Oh, no sir...I'm quite all right..." Fred said.

"Well, we're just about ready to stop at our next pick-up...Just let me know if I can get you anything..."

"I will...Where are we now, by the way?" He asked.

"Iowa, sir..." The conductor said..."Such a beautiful state, isnt it? God's country...If you ask me..."

The train had stopped and people got on. Men, women and children...A man, his wife and their two young boys, and their baby daughter sat across the aisle from Fred, some folks passed and sat in the back of the train, others in the front...The last passenger got on and there were only a few seats left...

"Mind if I sit here?" A young man with thick brown hair asked Fred...

"No...Not at all...Take a seat, Pete..." Fred laughed.

The man chuckled..."Well, the name's John Gruber, actually...And yours?" He said, shaking his hand...

"Fred Lay...Nice to meet you, John..."

"Pleasure's mine as well, Fred..." He smiled...

"So where are you headed, John?...If I may ask that...If you don't mind..."

"Not at all, Fred...You could say we're travel buddies now..." John laughed..."I'll tell you...but you tell me where you're headed first..."

"Millville, New Jersey...Cumberland County..."

"That's near where I'm headed...I'm going to Bridgeton...I'm away on business..."

"Oh, where do you work?" Fred asked politely...

"Iron factory...In Dubuque, of course...my hometown..."

"Sounds interesting..."

John laughed..."I guess so! Ma and Pa think so...My two brothers, George and Joseph, do I guess...My little sister doesn't though...She always gets so bored and walks out of the room when I go on about it..."

"Guess its just a man's thing..." Fred chuckled...

"I suppose" John laughed. "I love her though...Ha! She says I'm her favorite brother..."

"Why's that?"

"I bring her candy and spoil her to death!"

Fred imagined a cute little girl about eight years old...with bags full of candy in her hands, and a mischeivious smile on the girl's face...He laughed..."I bet your folks just LOVE that! How old is she?"

"Fifteen...No wait! She just turned fourteen, May 23! She's growin' up so fast right in front of my own eyes! Its hard to keep track of! "

He chuckled..."Oh, I figured she was younger than that...Considering you bring her candy..."

"Well, she's got quite a sweet tooth!" John laughed... "Ah, she's a good girl. She says she's got a fiesty side to her, and she's told me little things she's done but I don't believe a word of it!" He laughed...and then smiled..."Got a pair of such innocent lookin' brown eyes...a cute face...Can't help but say 'yes' to her..."

Fred smiled at the thought of such a brother/sister relationship...

"Do you have any siblings?" John asked.

"Yes sir, I do...Two of them...A brother and a sister...Both of 'em older than me...They both live in Germany..."

"Thought your name sounded German...So's the name Gruber...How is it that you're in the states?"

Fred chuckled..."I move around a lot...got itchy feet, so to speak..."

The two young men talked for hours and hours until nightfall...Both rented a sleeping car and retired for the night. The next day, the train brought them to a train station...and they set off again towards their destination...New Jersey...It was a long, long train ride, with every now and then, they'd stop at a train station to let people off and to swtich trains...but they finally made it to Cumberland County...

"Well, here we go our seperate ways...you to Millville and me to Bridgeton..." John said, shaking his hand..."You're gonna live here, you said..."

"Yes sir...and it was nice traveling with ya, John..." Fred slapped him on the shoulder...

John knodded goodbye and set out...but a few minutes later he walked back to where Fred was standing..."Say,...somethin's different about you. You seem like a nice guy to get to know!...Tell you what...when you get settled...write me! Here's my address..." He said writing his address down on a piece of paper...

"Thanks, and will do, John!" Fred said, putting the piece if paper into his trouser pocket...

"This seems a bit silly, considering we just met each other...Sorry, if I offended you or anything..."

"Oh, not at all...We crossed each other's paths this week...Maybe, we are soon-to be friends."

"I guess you're right, Fred...Why else did God have us on that train-ride together?..."

"Right...And well, I've been known to make friends easily anyway..." He laughed...

"Well, I'll be seein' you around, maybe...God willing..."

Fred knodded and both men went their separate ways...

_813 Mertz Street_

_Dubuque, IA_

_April 15, 1884_

_John Gruber_

_Dear Fred Lay,_

_Its been great to hear from you! Been awhile hasn't it? Can you believe its been two years since we met each other on that train to New Jersey!...What I wanted you to know, is there's a job opening at the factory I'm working at...and wondered if you were interested...I know that Iowa's a LONG way from New Jersey, but its a thought! Let me know, friend...because I'll pay for your trip over here. I insist! Well, goodbye until the next time._

_Your Friend,_

_John Gruber_

Yes, Fred had lived in New Jesrey for two years now...He was now 24 years old...and thought it was high time for him to be moving on again...so he wrote a letter back to John as soon as he could. His penmanship had gotten much better thanks to one of the schoolteachers' private tutoring...at first, Fred felt embarrassed that he couldn't write...but he soon learned to write as well as anyone. He could read as well now...

_Millville, NJ_

_April 20, 1884_

_Fred Lay_

_Dear John,_

_Thanks for the job offer! I'm right thankful of you for thinking of me for the job...and I accept it...It think its high time to be movin' on now...and I think movin' to Iowa is just the place. I've been told that its God's country...bet ya agree, But don't ya dare pay my way over there...I can make it just fine! Well, I'll see ya sometime in June._

_Your friend,_

_Fred J. Lay _

So Fred soon made his way to Iowa...Fred went walking around Dubuque with an envelope with John's address and also one with the factory's address on it, but he decided to walk around some and enjoy the beauty of nature.

_"God's country indeed..."_ Fred thought...He walked up a hill aways, well technically it was a forest, but soon he made it to a gravel road...

A long, long ways up the road, there was a young 16 year old girl with long, beautiful reddish brown hair who was walking with two milk cows. She was a most strikingly beautiful young lady, standing at a few inches over 5 foot, and weighed 125 pounds...This young lady was herding her family's two cows to their grazing spot...It was all open grassy land, except for a few trees, and a small creek...

"Gee, why can't you bossies be this calm all the time?" She laughed..."Usually, I have to bring the buggy whip to y'all!...Oh well, I'll just enjoy this while it lasts!" The 16 year old said, patting a cow on its side and tying both of them to a nearby tree...

"My 'story' rock...Here I come!" She smiled and took a little magazine she had under her arm, sat down on the large boulder by the creek and began to look at it..."My that dress looks so beautiful! What color is that?...Brick red?...Hmm...Its pretty...And red is my favorite color...Dark red especically...Like that..." She was saying to herself...and she sighed..."But its too expensive...$7...I'd have to save up long awhile to get it..." The pretty young girl began to look at a new purchase..."My! $10 for a corset! How ridiculous!... Ma and I could make one ourselves!" She flipped a few pages into a different section in the magazine. "Oh...There's my lavender perfume Pa got me for my birthday last month! So that's where he got it!" She exclaimed and smiled at the thought of her Pa...Such a good man. Hard-working man, in fact. Tall, sort of on the husky side, dark haired, handsome...and that waxed handlebar mustache always made her giggle! It looked absolutly silly on him, she thought, but she kept that a secret from him...He was her Pa, and he was very special to her...She was so special to him as well...She was Pa's little girl...and would always be...Considering she was the ONLY girl in the family, besides her Ma of course...

"Hello there!" A voice called out to her...Her head snapped up and saw a handsome, 5 foot 6 iches tall, blond young man, with a newspaper tucked under his arm...

_"Who's that?...I've never seen him around these parts..." _She thought and went back to looking at the magazine. Yet, she kept watching him out of the corner of her eye. He walked up ahead and sat down at a tree to read his newspaper...She glanced up at him and she thought he smiled at her a little and she payed attention to her magazine again...but later, she glanced up at him..._"My, I sure am glad the creek is between us...I don't know if he looks like a boy I'd associate with...He seems kind though."_

She realized it was soon time for her to bring the cows back home, so tucked the magazine under her arm, released the two cows, and started down the road...she passed the young man reading his newspaper..."Hello again!" Fred called to her...

The young girl's eyes got wide. _"Why is he talking to me? He's a stranger...I don't know him...I shouldn't talk to him, then..."_ She thought...and quickly turned her head away from him and walked on past him and down the road...

"What a shy girl..." Fred said out loud..."_She was right pretty though_!" He thought.

Fred chuckled..."What can ya do Fred Lay? You were just trying to be friendly! Oh well!" He said to himself.

He picked up his newspaper, stood up and set off down the road to try and find the factory John wrote about, maybe he'd be there.

"I'll ask John if there's a boarding house or hotel I could stay in 'round here..." He said to himself, as he was walking down the gravel road...

Fred soon found the iron factory John Gruber worked at...John took him to one of the boarding houses in town, Mrs. Jones, a widow lady in her forties kept the place up...It was her home where she lived alone for years...but soon she decided to make her home a boarding house...She loved cooking for the folks that came through...and made friendships with many of them...

"Thank you for the wonderful meal, ma'am..." Fred said...John and Fred had supper at the boarding house that night...

"You're welcome, Fred...And John...tell your Ma I said hello..."

"I will..." John smiled..."Well, I better be going...See you later..." John then left.

"I think I'll head on up to bed now, Mrs. Jones...Good night, ma'am..." Fred knodded before going upstairs...

"Good night...And good luck on that new factory job tomorrow..."

"Thank you, ma'am..." Fred smiled and headed upstairs...

Ellie Jones smiled..."What a respectful and kind young man...Handsome too..." Her smile went wider and she walked into her own bedroom downstairs...

**A/N: Fred worked at a steel mill SOMEWHERE in New Jersey...I just picked a city that had a mill or a factory in it. lol.**

**813 Mertz Street was the Gruber's actual address!...John wasn't born there, I don't think, but the rest of his siblings, except for his older brother George were born there...:)**

**The year, 1884? Okay, random year! lol. Fred wouldn't have even been born then! lol. He was born September 30, 1886...**


	20. Chapter 20

"I'm tellin' you, Ma!...I was working with a piece of steel this morning,...lost my grip and almost cut my right arm clean off!"

"I'm glad you're all right now, John...but I so wish you'd not talk about things like that while we're eating..." Franziska told her son, as they were at the table, having supper...

"I wish he wouldn't either...Its boring..." Frances said...

"Frances, bear with him...He's just excited about his job...Plus your Ma and I love to hear about it..."

"Yes, Pa...But what's so special about some silly ol' iron factory!"

"Awww...you're just a woman and don't understand 'man's work'...You just stick to cookin' and other housework, sis..."

"I may be a woman...and even though you are two years older than me, I can still beat you up, Joseph Leo Gruber!" Frances threatened.

"Oh yeah, I'd love to see you try!" Joe smirked.

Frances was getting angry...and it sure showed! Her fists were clenched on the table and she gave Joseph such a look!...

"Franziska Catherine Gruber! You move out of that chair and your Pa will certainly take you out behind the woodshed..." Her mother, who was also named Franziska, told her.

Frances took a deep breath and let it out..."Yes Ma..."

"Just be glad you have a favorite brother!" John said, putting an arm around his sister, who was 5 years younger than he...

Frances gave him a smirky smile..."I love all of my brothers equally!"

"Well, of course!" Joseph said..."But we also have a love/hate relationship! We love to hate each other..."

"Oh shut up, you fool!" Frances laughed...

"Frances...I wish you wouldn't use those harsh words to your brothers..."

"Ma...I'm not using them harshly..."

"Yeah Ma, she's just joking with us!" George, Frances' oldest brother, who was 24, insisted.

"Well, as long as you are kidding each other...I just don't want my children being harsh..."

"We won't Ma...And I like to kid Frances!...Its what I do...Its my job!" Joseph Gruber grinned devilishly.

"You're fired, Joe..." Frances said, seriously...and then everyone bursted into laughter...

"Well now...you boys finish your supper and get to bed...You and your Pa have fields to plow in the morning...Bright and early..."

"Yes Ma..." Joesph said...and went up to bed, as he was finished with his meal.

"Can I have thirds on the pot roast? I'm starving, Ma!" George stood up, taking his plate with him and trotted over to the cookstove.

"Keep on eatin' like that boy, and you'll become one!"

"Oh c'mon Pa! If I don't eat, I'll waste away to nothin'!" George laughed...

"You're a Gruber...and they certainly don't have that problem!" Big George said...Yes, Mr. Gruber's name was also George...Everyone just called him "Big George." Because that's what he was, BIG and tall...

"You should know, honey..." Ma Gruber giggled...placing her hands on his broad shoulders...and she twisted his black handlebar mustache...

"But you love me anyway, don't you, sweetheart..."

"Yes I do..." She said and leaned down and gave him a quick peck on the lips...

"Oh, and I almost forgot! I'm working with a German man now!" John said, going back to his conversation...

"A fellow German, eh?" Big George said..."What's his name?"

"Fred Lay...Remember when I went on business to New Jersey a couple years ago?"

"Yes..." Frances said.

"I met him then...on the train ride..." John said, in between bites of his supper..."Very interesting fellow...He knows about six languages...and can do just about any trade you ask him to do! Its like he tries it just once, and he can pick it up that quick..."

"I hope he's a hard worker...Hope he doesn't slack off..." Big George said...

"Oh no...He's a very hard worker! He can sure put his ax to the grindstone!" John said...

"Are you going to sit there talking all night John,...or are you going to eat your supper?" His mother asked him...

"Yes Ma..." John said and finished the rest of his supper...

George stretched himself and yawned..."I'm gonna head up to bed...'Night Ma and Pa...John...Frances..."

"Good night George...Sleep well..." Ma Gruber said...

"You betch'a, Ma! With that good supper you made tonight..." He grinned...

"Thank you, son..."

"I made the mashed potatoes, you know...and the cake we had for dessert..." Frances said...her elbow resting on the table, with her hand on her cheek...

"Those were good too!...No wonder I wanted more!" George smiled.

Frances laughed..."Of what? The potatoes or the cake?"

George knodded and smiled..."Both!"

"George..." Frances laughed and put her hand to her face and sat there chuckling...

"Good night, sister..." George said...giving Frances a bear hug.

"Hey, not too hard!" Frances laughed..."I'm fragile!"

Big George Gruber sat there smiling, watching his oldest and youngest children interact...George Jr., or as everyone called him, "Little George" and little was an under statement! He was just as big and tall as his Pa...Anyway, Little George was just a big 'ol teddy bear...Sweetest guy you ever met...but treat his little sister wrong, he could sure do you some SERIOUS bodily harm!

Just then, the fat, lazy, old tom cat jumped up on Big George's shoulder...

"Hey, Mr. Paws...Looking for a hand-out are ya?" Big George held up a green bean on his fork and the cat grabbed it with his teeth, and ate it..."Well, ain't that cute!" He had a piece of meat on his fork and the tom cat pawed at it and ate it..."Franziska! Come watch this cat!" Big George sat there laughing...

"George Michael Gruber! Get that dirty tom cat away from my kitchen table!"

Ma Gruber picked the lazy old tom cat up and put it outside the door..."Shoo!...Get out of here! Go!..." She then walked back to the kitchen..."I hate that cat!" She muttered.

"Frances, after the dishes are done, you can have some time to yourself..."

"Yes Pa...I think I might work on the quilt I'm making..."

Frances went outside to the well with the wash basin, filled it full of water, and came back inside and put it on the cookstove for it to heat up...When the water was hot, she took lye soap and scrubbed each plate, rinsed them, dried them and put them back into the cupboard...Since her evening chore was done, she grabbed her sewing things, sat down in her rocking chair in the front room, and worked on her quilt in the lamp light...John was still in the kitchen, telling Ma and Pa Gruber all about that Fred Lay fellow...It seemed that John talked for hours about the man...and Frances listened at the door before she retired for the night...

"He's such a nice, courteous, respectful young man...He's funny too! He said this saying...What was it again?...Something about a blind man and his deaf friend...Oh I can't remember now, but it was funny!" John said...

Frances stood there at the door, giggling.

"Hey little girl!...Heading to bed yet?"

"Yes Pa...Good night." She said, giving her father a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Good night, John..." She gave her older brother a kiss on the cheek as well, headed up to her room in the loft upstairs, and got ready for bed...

That summer had ended, and it was now fall...The leaves had changed colors and had fallen from the trees, covering the ground...

Liz Palmer, Frances' best friend came on a Sunday afternoon after church services...She knocked on the Gruber's front door...and waited...

"Yooooooo hooooooo!" Frances called when she heard the knock on the door...It was her way of saying "I heard you! Come on in!"

"Yoooo hoooo!" Liz echoed...and let herself in..."Hey Frances! They're showing one of those new 'picture show' things in town! Wanna come with me?"

"That sounds like so much fun!" Frances exclaimed..."Let me ask my Ma..." She went through the front room and went into the kitchen to ask her mother if she could go...

"Ma...Liz wants me to go to a 'picture show' with her...Can I?"

"How much is it?" Franziska asked, wiping flour-covered hands on her apron...

"Just a nickel!"

"Here then..." She smiled, reaching into her handbag...

"Thanks Ma!" Frances said excitedly, hugging her mother tightly...

"You're welcome...Have fun, girls..."

"C'mon Lizzie!"

"Don't call me Lizzie! I hate that!...Besides! You haven't called me that since we were six!"

"Okay Liz..." Frances laughed...and she started to go downstairs...

"Where are you going?...I thought we were going to the 'picture show!'..."

"We are, but I hear something!"

"Uggghhh! Must you always investigate?" Liz complained...

"Oh hush up, girl!" Frances whispered...She stood at the door of the room where visiting went on, it also served as the kitchen...Frances saw all of John's buddies scattered around the room...

"C'mon Frances, lets go!...This is nothing new! Your brothers' ALWAYS have friends over!"

"Shhh!" Frances said sharply, trying to listening to all the men talking and laughing.

"Hey, Frances! Wanna join us?" John asked, motioning for her to come in the room...

"Sure..." She smiled and walked in and sat down by her brother John...

"Hey, you know that guy I've been telling you about?"

"Fred Lay?...Yeah..." She said...

"That's him right over there..." He pointed to him, sitting there alone, over in the corner...

"Isn't he a looker?" John whisper to his younger sister..."What about him, for ya?"

"John!" Frances whispered, her cheeks turning bright red...

"What? You don't think he's handsome?"

"No...He is..." She said quickly and quietly...Suddenly, Fred jumped to his feet and came directly over to Frances...He smiled and politely shook her slender hand. "Hey,...I'm quite sure you were the girl herding cattle...this past summer..."

Frances smiled and blushed..."Yes...That was me, all right..."

Fred sat down next to her and they carried on a conversation...

"Uh...I'm sorry I didn't return your greeting that day...I feel bad now..."

"Oh its all right..." Fred chuckled..."In my country, Germany, EVERYONE greets each other...Whether we know each other or not...Its just a habit of mine, I guess." He smiled...

Frances smiled at him and looked down at her hand and then looked back up at his face... _"Is he going to let go of my hand yet?...Any day now, Fred..."_

"This is so strange...but kind of nice...but I just can't believe I'm in the house of the young girl that..."

"That snubbed you?" Frances giggled...

"Hey now,...you didn't snub me!" Fred laughed..."If I were you, I wouldn't want to speak to a strange guy like me!"

Frances laughed..."You're not strange!"

Fred smiled..."And I guess I just couldn't resist saying hello to a pretty girl such as yourself..."

That made Frances turn even redder than before...

"Aww...I'm embarrassing you! I'm sorry..." He appoligized...

"No...no its okay...Its just getting kind of warm in here...you know...with all the folks in here..." She made an excuse for her ruddy cheeks...

"I see, said the blind man to his deaf friend..." Fred smiled...

Frances giggled. "What a cute saying!"

"Oh thanks...Learned it from a friend...He'd also say, 'And were off...like a herd of turtles!'..."

"That's cute..." She said, giggling again...

Fred smiled..."You have such a cute laugh..."

"Thanks..." Frances smiled at him...

"Can we go ALREADY, Frances?" Both Fred and Frances looked up at Liz, who was standing in the doorway, tapping her foot...beginning to get annoyed...

"That's my best friend Liz...We're going to one of those new-fangled 'pitcure show' things today!...I'd invite you Fred, but I'm sure you'd want to spend the day with John..."

"Wouldn't want to make your brother jealous, eh?" Fred laughed...and him saying that made Frances laugh too...

"Well, I'll be here later...Your Ma and Pa want me to stay for supper tonight..."

"That's wonderful!" She exclaimed...

"Yes...I'll get to see you again..." Fred said, taking her hand in his...

Frances blushed..."I'll...I'll see you tonight, Fred..." She got up and joined her friend, Liz...and they left to go to the 'picture show.'

"Who's he?" Liz asked...

"Who's who?"

"That man you were talking to, Frances!"

"He's nobody..." She smiled, turning red...

"He is soooooo not nobody!...He held your hand...I saw him do it!...Is he your beau?"

"He's not my beau..." Frances insisted...

"Frances...your chin is quivering! It only does that when you like a boy!"

"It is not!" She said, trying to cover her chin with her hand...

"Yes it is!...1,2,3,...There it goes! There it goes!" Liz Palmer laughed, pointing at her quivering chin..."Anyway, tell me about him! Where'd you meet him?"

Frances told her how they met on Peru Road...how he said hello to her several times...but she never said a word to him...

"Oh this is so romantic and sweet!" Liz said...

"I don't think so...He probably thought I was either deaf or retarded...Or maybe even both!"

"He did not!...I saw him hold your hand!" Liz smiled..."It was like love at first sight! What if you two get married?"

"Liz, like it would even work out for us! He's George's age!" Frances and her oldest brother George were 8 years apart.

"Like a man that old would see anything in me that would interest him!" Frances exclaimed.

"You might be surprised..." Liz smiled at her.

Later, they made it into town and enjoyed watching the 'picture show.' The girls spent HOURS in town, Frances walked her best friend home, and made it, an hour or so before they were to sit down to supper...

"I tell you, Fred!...You better watch out for Frances, here...She has quite the fiesty side!"

"Oh really, George!..." Fred laughed and looked over at Frances, and winked at her...It made her blush terribly.

"Why sure!...Just two years ago, she was walking down Peru Road...where y'all met...with our two cows, Bessie and Bossie...and she..." George began...telling Fred some family stories at the suppertable...

"George, PLEASE don't tell him that story!" Frances wailed...with her hand to her face...She was getting embarrassed by her brothers saying all of this in front of Fred...Except for their very first meeting on Peru Road, she just met the man! She was so embarrassed, thanks to her brothers, she wanted to hide UNDER the table!...

"Fine then...I'll tell it!" Joseph gave her a sneaky look and then laughed..."Anyway, she was walking down the road with the cows like she did every summer and she came across one of the school mistresses, Miss Prim..."

"That's what I called her, because she was so prim and proper..."

"And really bossy!" Joe continued the story..."She taught school at the East Stone Hill school...and every time, EVERY TIME, that those cows...or the herding dog Frances kept with her got a little to close to her liking...she would scold my poor little sister!"

"I didn't even GO to the E.S.H. school!...Gee, I had teacher problems! And she wasn't even my teacher!" Frances laughed.

"And anyway,...one day Frances was herding Bessie and Bossie..and guess who comes down Peru Road?...Miss Prim...And yes...she scolded Frances..." John took over the story this time..."Frances...tell Fred what you did to the poor woman!" He said, almost unable to control his laughter.

"Well,..." Frances laughed and she knew she was turning as red as Fred's shirt that he was wearing..."Almost every day, I'd kill a snake with my buggy whip...I hate snakes...now be in mind, I'm NOT afraid of them,...I just hate the creatures!"

"Sure, you aren't afraid of them!" Joe said sarcastically...

"Shut up, Joseph Leo!" Frances laughed..."Anyway, one day...I killed a bull snake with my whip and I knew that Miss Prim would be coming down the road later, so, I thought I'd have a little 'fun' with her! So, I took the dead bull snake, layed it all coiled up in the road and waited for Miss Prim...Just as I figured, there she was, walking down Peru Road, her nose stuck in the book she was reading...well now, she took one look at that coiled-up bull snake, let out one heck of a powerful scream, threw her book in the air and she took off through a barbed-wire fence!" Everyone listening to Frances tell her story, laughed their heads off!..."The poor woman tore her dress into pieces!...I was soooo sorry! I never meant to scare her that bad!...I picked up her book and saw a couple of schoolkids from the E.S.H. school and gave the book to one of the boys...He was glad to return the book back to his teacher...and he kindly did that for me..."

"Did she ever bother you again?" Fred asked, still laughing as the rest of them were...

Frances smiled, laughed and shook her head..."No! Never again!"

After supper, Frances collected up all the plates...and got the wash basin and started to head out the door...

"Here, let me help you with that..." Fred said, jumping to his feet and offered to take the wash basin from her...

"Oh no...I've got it, but thanks, Fred..."

"Really, I'll take it...I can't stand to see a woman carry anything heavy..."

"Its not heavy!" She laughed..."I told you I can handle it! I do this every day!"

"Well, I just want to be a gentleman..." Fred said, smiling at her...

"And you are...I can tell..."

"Just let me walk you out, then?" He smiled.

"Sure..." She smiled...and she knew she blushed again...she just couldn't help it...

Fred grabbed the door for her, made sure she got outside okay, and followed her out...

"So...Thanks to my brothers...You know I have a fiesty side..." She laughed...

"Oh, it can be overlooked..." Fred joked..."And I'm sure your as sweet as maple syrup, besides!"

Frances laughed..."Thanks...but I guess I get my fiestyness from Ma...You should've seen her when she was pregnant with my older sister Katie!..."

"You have an older sister?...What? Is she married off already?" He asked...

"Ummm...no...Katie passed away at nine months old...I never knew her..."

"Oh, I'm sorry...I hit a sore spot, didn't I?"

"No...Its all right...How were you to know?...Anyway, what were we talking about?...Oh yeah! My Ma!...Well, we had some mean neighbors, the Raymess family...and little Eddie Raymess, oh he was such a little demon child! Anyway, Eddie loved to throw rocks at our dog Jack...and Ma chased Eddie all the way back to his farm and tanned his little hide...right in front of his mother!" Frances laughed.

"Oh my!" Fred said...

"I know!...And anyway, Mrs. Raymess, shook her fist at my Ma and yelled,..."Just wait Mrs. Gruber!...You will get yours!" and one day when Ma came back from her doctor's appointment, as she was heavily pregnant with my older sister Katie,... and Little Eddie Raymess decided to throw some rocks at my brother John...He was just a year old then...Well, Mrs. Raymess was waiting for Ma in the street and she was wearing her 'fighting clothes.'...And she said, "Do you know what I am here for, Mrs. Gruber?" and Ma said, "Yes, Mrs. Raymess. I know..." and then Ma picked up John and put him out of harm's way...and as quick as a wink, she tore in into Mrs. Raymess, and they started fighting right in the middle of the street!...After a while, Ma and Mrs. Raymess were all bloody, their clothes torn...the fight was sure a humdinger! Everybody and their brother came closer and watched them fight! They were screamin' _"Give her one for us, Mrs. Gruber!"_ and they were all ranting and cheering my Ma on, because they all hated the Raymess family, too!..." Frances laughed.

"Oh, wow!" Fred laughed. "What happened then?"

"Eddie decided to join the fight!" Frances said..."He took a board from the saw mill, and he hit Ma over the head with it!"

Fred cringed at the thought of it..."That had to smart! The poor lady!...What happened next?" Fred was REALLY getting into the story! He was a man after all, and loved a good fight...

"Well, Ma started to beat up both Mrs. Raymess and Eddie!...Mr. Raymess saw what was going on...and he decided to try and help his wife and son..."

"No way!...He wouldn't fight a pregnant woman!...Would he?" Fred asked...

"Oh, he tried to, the aweful cuss!...but as soon as he was going to grab my mother, Jack came a runnin', and jumped the fence in a single bound! Jack ran up to Mr. Raymess...and he...he!..." Frances started laughing, and couldn't get her words out!

"He what? What did Jack do?" Fred laughed...

Frances started giggling,..."He bit Mr. Raymess on the seat of his trousers and took with him some of the material...and a good chunk of Mr. Raymess' rear end!" She laughed...

Fred laughed..."I can't believe you just told me that!"

She blushed. "I know, sometimes I'm not very lady-like...and as you know now, I'm fiesty!...Well, I had to be! I have three tough older brothers! I had to protect myself!" Frances giggled...

Fred stared at her..."_They seem kind enough to her...Were they always that way?...Or did they mistreat her as a little girl?"_

"I'm kidding!" Frances laughed..."All three of my brothers are wonderful to me! They've always been...And don't worry about me and Joe...we love to joke with each other that way..."

"I figured..." The corners of his mouth turned upward...

"I love him...but sometimes he can get my blood a boilin'!"

"Remind me not to get on your bad side!" Fred laughed. "And do you always carry that buggy whip on Peru Road?"

"Yes...Every time..." Frances said...

"Okay...then I won't go down that road ever again!" He joked with her...

"I am not THAT bad!" Frances laughed...

"I know...I'm just joshin' you..."

"I know..." She smiled up at him. Frances went over to the well and filled the basin up with water and started to go back to the house...

"Here...Can I at least carry that back to the house for you?" Fred offered, taking the large wash tub filled with cold water from her...

"There's no stopping you, Fred Lay...Is there?" Frances laughed, putting her hands on her hips...

"Nope!" He laughed...

They walked back over to the house and stood in front of the door and talked awhile longer...She told him all sorts of stories about her family...

"By golly, I'd say you could make a living with your story tellin', Frances!...Maybe you could be a writer or somethin'!" Fred smiled...

"Oh, I don't know if I could do that! I don't think I'm very smart..."

"That ain't no reason!...Look at me!...I didn't get a very good education, but I taught myself about four or five languages!...And now I can read and write too!...You can do ANYTHING you put your mind to, Frances..."

Frances lips turned into a smile...she shivered as a cool autumn wind came through..."Brrr!...Winter'll be creeping up on us soon!...You ever survived an Iowa winter, Fred?"

"Sure have...Lived in Iowa as a boy..."

"It gets so cold and snowy! We can get some pretty bad snowstorms! One time Pa had to dig tunnels! Just so he and George, John and Joesph could get to the barn and the springhouse and everything!"

"Its beautiful though, isnt it?" Fred said.

"It is..." Frances smiled..."Especially on the trees!...Like God Above took a paintbrush and painted the pine branches..."

**A/N: Fred never lived in Iowa as a boy. Obviously, he lived in Germany. I just changed it for the story.**

**Frances was quite a story-teller I guess! The story with her and Miss Prim is true. As well as Mrs. Gruber and the Raymess family.**

**John Gruber did work with Fred in the iron factory.**


	21. Chapter 21

A year later...

On one hot summer day, Big George Gruber decided to clean out the barn...everyone else was in the house.

Big George was minding his own business, cleaning out the barn...when suddenly...he saw Troubles, the mean bull. Troubles backed Big George into a corner. It may not have shown on the outside that Big George was scared, but on the inside, he was terrified! There he was, trapped in the corner by Troubles the bull, who was huffing and puffing, his nostrils flaring...and ready to charge!...Soon, he grabbed Troubles the bull by the horns and wrestled with him! Now, Big George, hence his nickname, was a pretty good-sized man...but if he hadn't been, he surely would've been gored to death!...The rest of the Gruber family were inside and didn't know Troubles the bull had cornered Big George...

"Frances, stir the stew for me, please?"

"Yes, Ma..." She said and went to the cookstove.

"Better be careful! Wouldn't want to burn yourself!...Or the stew!" Joseph teased her.

"Shut up, Joe!"

Just then, the door FLEW open, and in ran Big George. His face was as white as a sheet!

"George, what on earth is the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Big George ignored his wife, brushed past her,...shouting profanities in German..."Gott verdammt, Sie Sohn-von-a-Bitch! Sie dumm verdammte Bull...Ihr Ende ist sehr nahe!" Yes, though a faithful church go-er, Big George still had some things he hadn't given up...swearing being one of them...drinking being the other...He rushed up the stairs with 3 or 4 clumps of his big feet...went to him and his wife's room, grabbed his 44 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver...bounded back down the stairs, still cursing and swearing in his native language... and went back to the barn...

"Bang!" They heard the gun go off..."Bang!...Bang!...Bang!" They heard it go off a few more times...

"What,...It isn't DEAD yet?" Joseph said...

"SHUT UP, JOE!" Everyone shouted...Well, everyone except for Ma...She just gave him a look...

"Bang!..." They heard it go off again...the sound of the gun going off made Frances...and her mother, flinch..."BANG!" One last, powerful gunfire went off...and EVERYONE,...Ma Gruber, Little George, John, Joseph, and Frances, all headed out to the barn.

There he was,...Troubles the bull, laying on his back, twitching spasmatically...and then he stopped twitching...

"You KILLED our only bull!" Ma Gruber said, weakly...

"Took care of that, didn't I?" Big George said, triumphantly..."Now we'll have TONS of homemade sausage..."

That evening, it being the weekend, and wanting to celebrate his triumphant doing away of Troubles the Bull, Big George was getting ready to go into town and buy him and all his buddies a round of drinks...

"George, please!...I really wish you wouldn't spend our hard-earned money on beer!..." Ma Gruber pleaded with him..."George, please don't!...GEORGE!" She tried tugging on him, in an effort to get him to stay home..."George, please don't do this!...Just look at all you're wasting!...George, please don't go out and waste everything! We worked hard to earn that money!" Though all of Franziska's pleading was to no avail...Big George Gruber grabbed his hat, so he could be right in style (and considered dressed back then...because you were considered underdressed if a man went without his hat) when he left for his night out on the town...There he stood, Sunday best, hair all combed neatly, and his black handlebar mustache was all waxed up...Big George was a man of few words, and so Franziska's pleading fell on deaf ears...and he was about to put on his hat, when she snatched it from him...ran outside to the outhouse...plunged the hat into the urine-filled pot (they called it a thunder-mug), thanks to all four of the Gruber children having previously used the outhouse...she ran back inside, and threw the soaked hat right into Big George's face! His handlebar mustache was drooping from all the urine...Big George let his soaked hat fall to the floor...and let out a roar like a wounded lion!...As fast as her legs would carry her, Franziska ran out the back door and into the summer kitchen and hid behind the door...Big George ran after her...and just that quick she ran back out and LOCKED Big George in the summer kitchen!...So Mr. Gruber spent that WHOLE night in that summer kitchen and Ma Gruber let him out in the morning...Big George had a pretty quick temper...but I guess he also got over it quick!

"I think get the message...Don't spend our hard-earned money on beer..." Big George chuckled, putting an arm around his wife...

"You kiss me with that nasty mouth and you will surely pay for it, George Michael!..." Franziska laughed..."Go wash your face! Better yet, take a bath while you're at it!"

"I'll go get the wash tub!" Frances said...still laughing at the whole situation...and she headed out to the well...

She set the wash tub on the ground and and began pumping the water-pump so she could fill up the wash tub...She heard a team of horses coming up the road and looked up and smiled when she saw who it was...she stopped pumping the water-pump and ran to meet the visitor...

"Hey, you're here early!" She smiled at him..."Wanting to picked up John, already?..."

"Well, yes...and no..." Fred smiled..."I wanted to ask you something..."

"Oh really?..." She smiled and bit her bottom lip...

"Yeah...You know that church picnic coming up?"

"Mmm...yeah..."

"Well...I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of going with me...

_"Oh, I'd LOVE to go with him!...But, maybe I'll just...mess with his head a little..." _She thought.

"Well,...what do ya say, Frances? Will you?"

"Ummmmm..." Frances smiled up at him..."Let me think on it...and I'll get back to you...All right, Fred?"

Fred was silent for a minute or two..."You'll _think_ about it..." He said at last...

"Mmmhhmmm..." She smiled, knodding her head..."I'll go get John for you..." She said, walking away from him and back into the house...She looked back at him...and she saw he was pacing back and forth, talking to himself...and she was sure it was about her!

She laughed to herself..."Its just so fun messing with him!"

Fred picked up John, so they could go to work at the iron factory...and all the while, Fred couldn't stop thinking about Frances and what she told him!

_"She said she'll 'think' about it...What in the world is there to think about? I mean...I have feelings for her...I've known that ever since I met her!...I coulda sworn she does too! Or does she?...Maybe she doesn't...she did say she'd think about it..." _He thought..."She's so confusing!" Fred quietly thought out loud...

"Who is?" John asked...

"Who's what?"

"Who's confusing?"

"Oh...nobody...Just some girl..."

"Ah...Anybody I know?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, I'm with you there, buddy...Women are confusing, all right..." John said...

_"Well, that was sure a close one!...I better keep my mouth SHUT from now on..." _Fred thought

"Frances...what do you think of Fred?" Liz Palmer asked...Liz had stayed the night over at the Gruber's place...and the girls were up in Frances's bedroom up in the loft...talking about all sorts of things...and soon the conversation turned to none other than...men.

"He's...very sweet...and respectful...and he's kind..."

"And he's soooooooooooooo dreamy!" Liz said, breathlessly...

"Liz!" Frances said...

"What?...He is!...When I see a good-looking man, I make it known!"

"Well, yeah he is..." Frances blushed...

"You keep blushing!" Liz said in a sing-songy voice..."Frances loves Fred!"

"Shut-up, Liz!" Frances said...knowing her chin was starting to quiver...again!

"Hey, if you won't take him...I WILL!" Liz smiled.

Frances was quiet after that..._"She better NOT take him...I want him!...but, its been a year already. Maybe he doesn't want me as I want him...Or maybe he does and he's just taking his time...I don't want to go into this lightly either..."_

"I AM SOOOOOOO BORED!" Liz said, and flopped onto Frances' bed...

"Find something to DO then!" Frances smiled...

"Hey, lets go and steal John and Joseph's trousers!" Liz suggested, and started laughing...

"Why would we do THAT?" Frances chuckled.

"To mess with them, duh!...C'mon! It'll be so funny!" She laughed...

Frances sneaked into the boys' room and grabbed her older brothers' tan trousers...and sneaked back upstairs to the loft...

"So...I got them...Now what do we do?"

"Let's put them on!"

"Liz! We can NOT put on men's clothing!" Frances laughed...

"Sure we can!...I do it all the time at home with my brother's old trousers!...Oh, c'mon...it'll be tons of fun!"

So, Liz and Frances both put on a pair of trousers...Liz put on Joseph's and Frances put on John's...and they started dancing around the room, linked arm in arm, and danced around in a circle...

"This is so stupid and silly!" Frances laughed...

"I thinks its LOADS of fun!" Liz laughed, flopping down on Frances' bed again..."I could wear them everyday if I could!"

"I feel funny wearing trousers!" Frances laughed..."I'm just so used to wearing my skirts and dresses..."

"Oh, who needs skirts? They're such a bother!...The wind picks up and your skirt flys up over your knees!...And getting down from a wagon?...PUH-LEASE!...You can't help but be indecent!...Men don't have that problem! They get to do whatever they darn well please!"

"Okay...anyway...I just feel strange...I'm taking these off!" Frances said, letting the suspenders fall to the ground, and she undid the zipper on the trousers...

"Party pooper!"

"I am not!...I just don't feel right doing this, Liz..." She said, changing into a brown skirt and a blue, purple and brown plaid button down blouse...

"Well, I am going to lounge around in them some more!" Liz said...

"Fine...do what you want!...Just don't have my Pa or one of my brothers catch you wearing them!" Frances told her...

**A/N: The story of Big George and Troubles the bull is true! And so is the one about Big George wanting to spend their hard earned money on beer. lol. Mrs. Gruber sure got him, didn't she?! lol.**

**Lizzie Palmer was Frances' best friend as a teenager. Their interaction in this chapter remind me of and my friend. Also, the chin quivering is one of my own traits. lol.**


	22. Chapter 22

It turns out Fred had taken Frances to that summer picnic...Heads surely turned when folks saw the two together...

"Oh my goodness!...I can't believe it!...Does this mean you're together?" Liz said to her best friend exictedly...after Fred had gone to spend some time with the men...

"Liz, be reasonable...its just ONE summer picnic!...It isn't like we're courting now or anything!" Frances smiled. _"At least I don't think so...he did speak to Pa about something a couple weeks ago...About what...I don't know..."  
_

"Well, you better tell me if anything happens!"

"Like what?" Frances smiled...

"Like your first KISS, Frances!...Get with the times!...It isn't the 1700's anymore!...All the talks on the porch...guarded by the girls' parents?...Those days are gone, girl!"

"Then why haven't YOU had your first kiss yet, Liz?...Hmmmmm?" Frances said, smirking at her...

"Do you SEE me with a beau lately?...No..."

"I see, said the blind man..." Frances giggled...

"I rest my case!" Liz said...and walked off...

"Hey Fred,...bet there's no way you know how to ride a horse and use a Civil War saber!" One of the men began to tease him.

"I sure do!" Fred insisted..."I fought in the war, you know..."

"No way...Not a young whipper-snapper like you!" One of the older men said...

"Well, it was the later part of the war..."

"Still say you can't do it!"

Then, all the men began to tease Fred, which urked him somethin' fierce!...

"Anybody got a saber layin' around anywhere?..." Fred asked...

"We have one up in the attic, I'll go get it..." The hostess of the party, Mrs. Abbey said...and went inside. She came back with it...The one her nephew Graham used..."Defeated much of the enemy with this here saber..."

An old farm horse was saddled and Fred ordered for the men to put 8 or 10 sitcks, 4 or 5 feet high in the air, into the ground, in a zig zag pattern...with an apple on each stick...Fred mounted the old farm horse, grabbed the saber from one of the men, and rode at top speed, and speared each apple on the top of the saber...The crowd went wild with shouts and applauses...one young lady being the loudest of them all...

"How's THAT for not knowing how?" Fred smirked, dismounting the horse...Frances ran to him, and embraced him...

"Oh, I KNEW you could do it, Fred!"

Fred placed a kiss on her forehead..."Thanks for rooting for me..." He smiled down at her...and a wide smile crept across her face_..."Did he actually kiss me on the forehead a few times?...And are we really holding each other?...Am I dreaming?...Oh, I just can't believe it!...Boy, Liz probably won't shut up for awhile after this moment!" _Frances thought.

Fred and Frances walked hand in hand to the creek where they first met almost two years before...

"So...Does this mean you're my beau now?" Frances smiled, sitting on her 'story' rock...skipping stones across the water...it was a little hard to do, even though the creek was flowing at a slow, gentle pace...

"Only if you want me to be..." Fred smiled..."I did ask your Pa about it though."

"And what did he say?" She turned her head and looked at him...

"He said...'yes'...He thinks I'm a good man...very respectful...that I'll be able to take good care of his 'little girl'..."

"I sometimes wish he'd stop saying that...Yes, I'm his girl...but I'm not a little girl anymore!...I'm a young woman..."

Fred raised his eyebrows and smiled..."Now that's what I'm talkin' about..."

Frances smiled at him..."You really see me as a woman?"

Fred smiled..."Well, what can I say?...You are...and one pretty one at that..."

She blushed..."Thank you, Fred..."

The next thing that happened, Frances couldn't believe, but she was glad it was happening...They both found themselves leaning in and Frances tilted her head to the left, and like clockwork, Fred's leaned to the right...their lips met, and Frances experienced her very first kiss...No matter how hard she could have tried...Frances would not have been able to wipe the excited smile off of her face...It was like it was glued there.

A few months later...

It was a Sunday...and everyone was in church, bright and early that morning...Rev. Weirich was preaching a very good sermon...surely kept people from falling asleep!...Well, except for the town drunk,...Mr. Ferro...and every time...Rev. Weirich pounded his thick hand on the wooden pulpit, the drunk would jump, as he was startled by the noise, and he would wake up...So there he was, old Mr. Ferro...fast asleep and snoring away, and Frances rolled her eyes at him but then looked up and payed attention to Rev. Weirich's preaching...and suddenly he brought his fist down on the pulpit, and Mr. Ferro jumped...and woke up...To be a little smart alec, and to be humorous, Frances jumped as well, as if SHE had been asleep...George and John started snickering, but one look from Ma got them to quiet down...It was VERY hot that morning as well, folks were cooling themselves, or trying to...as best as they possibly could...Since it was so hot some women 'fainted', well, according to Frances they "faked a faint"...because they ALWAYS had a strong man near to catch them...The women made sure of that!...Everytime a girl fainted, Frances would roll her eyes back in her head...She had never fainted, and she thought it was all put on.

Every now and then, Frances would look over at Fred...she saw him uninterested in the preaching...and that worried her...There he was, flipping through the hymnal...As bored as a little boy would be...whether he absolutely didn't want to be there...or he was under conviction...she didn't know exaclty...When Rev. Weirich called for the invitation, Frances went down to the altar to pray...She let the Lord guide her into praying for Fred...and the words came to her..._"Dear Lord...I don't know what all is going on with him...But...it worries me Lord...He seems uninterested...Lord,...please open his eyes...Let him know You love him...Let him come to You, Lord, for salvation...if he hasn't already...Bless him in a special way...In Jesus Name, Amen..."_ She found wet spots on her brown Sunday dress...and tears still stained her cheeks...so she dabbed at her cheeks and her eyes, got up and walked back to her pew she was sitting in with George and John...Joseph was sitting with a young woman named Nona Schmidt...and Ma and Pa Gruber were sitting in the pew behind them...

It was a warm, May afternoon...and the church had another picnic...and yes, Frances and Fred went together. Frances was about to turn 17 in a few weeks, and Fred had bought a little something for her...

"Hope you like it, Frances..." He smiled, waiting for her reaction as she opened the brown paper bag...

"Lavender perfume!" She gasped. "My favorite!...Thank you so much!" She said wrapping him up in a hug. "I love, love, LOVE it!...And you!" She said, and kissed him.

"So...am I going to be getting to do a wedding anytime soon?..." Rev. Weirich smiled at Big George, as they were looking, a ways off, at the young couple...

"The young man still hasn't asked me for her hand...To court her, yes...but to marry her, not yet..."

"Give him time...I'm sure he will, George..." Ma Gruber said, placing her hands on his shoulders..."What about Joe and Nona? You think something's up with them?"

"No!" Big George insisted..."Besides, they only sat together in church once!"

"I think they're sweet on each other..." Franziska said...

"How can you tell that?"

"A mother knows..." She smirked at him...Big George grunted and walked off to talk with the men...

"Oh, I just can't believe it! He actually KISSED you!" Liz said, hugging her friend...Frances FINALLY told her best friend what had happened at the picnic...a year earlier...she wanted to keep that moment secret, but she knew it couldn't for long! "...What else?...There's something else...I can tell...Frances, if you don't tell me..."

"Will, you calm yourself?" Frances laughed..."I'll tell you, okay!...Fred said he talked to Pa, and..."

"And what?...Tell me, girl!"

"We're COURTING!"

"AAAAAaaahhhhhh!" Liz let out a girlish squeal, hugged Frances and both of them jumped around together in a little circle.

"Gosh, I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks!" Frances smiled..."Now all we need to do is get YOU a beau, Liz..."

"Sounds GREAT to me!" She laughed.

**A/N: Joseph "Joe" Leo Gruber did eventually marry Nona Leona Agnes Schmidt...They had 7 children...Frances "Fran" Josephine Gruber German (born on November 12, 1921), Leonona "Snooky" Agnes Gruber Davis (September 7, 1923), Joseph "Joey" Leo Gruber Jr. (July 30, 1925), George "Pudge" Thomas Gruber (July 15, 1928), Delores "Butzi" Marie Gruber (September 14, 1930), Kathleen "Kate" Rose Gruber Greibe (Febrauary 7, 1934) and Madonna "Donna" Jo-ann Gruber (March 7, 1936)**

**The story of the drunk falling asleep in church, with Frances jumping too like she had been asleep, is true, but I picked out his name...The story of the women "faking a faint" and how Frances rolled her eyes and thought it was all "put on" is also true. She never fainted a day in her life!...Also, Rev. Weirich was the Gruber's Catholic priest...yet, he was still called..."Rev. Weirich" and not "Father", I guess it was different back then than it is now.**

**At the time of writing, I did not know that it was Yardley's English Lavender soap that Frances loved, not its perfume.**

**The story about Fred and being teased about "not knowing how to ride a horse and use a Civil War saber" is true...Boy, he sure showed them! lol. :) **


	23. Chapter 23

It was a cold January morning and Rev. Weirich was preaching away...the topic actually interested Fred...It was about scars...Rev. Weirich asked everyone who had scars on their body to raise their hand...Hands went up all over the room...and Fred lifted his own, shaking hand...and then everyone put their hands down...Rev. Weirich went on to say, "The physical scars we have on our body speak of God's grace and His wonderful mercy...We can be thankful for those scars...because they show that God in His great love, spared our life...and allowed us to KEEP LIVING!..." He said excitedly..."We can be thankful for the scars of Jesus...because He's alive,...because of His victory over death...His scars talk of his great love for us!...In Isaiah 53:5, it says, "_But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."_..."He loved each and every one us, that He died on that old rugged cross...and He would have if you were the LAST person on earth..." Rev. Weirich pointed out into the crowd, and for some reason, Fred thought he was pointing right at him...No, it wasn't like the preacher pointed like he did when Fred was a boy,...it was in love and compassion...and Fred's heart started beating rapidly...he didn't know what was going on...and unknown to him, he was under conviction... Rev. Weirich went onto preach, and Fred hung onto every word he said,..."The Lord's scars give us His assurance of salvation...and his DESIRE to see folks saved.._..."The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."_..."The Lord wants you to come to Him young man, young lady...to youngest person in here...to the very oldest...Don't shut Him out...please come to Him today...Don't waste another moment, young man...or whoever it is..."

The congregation stood to their feet and began to sing the wonderful hymn, "_At the Cross" _by Isaac Watts...

_Alas! and did my Savior bleed  
And did my Sovereign die?  
Would He devote that sacred head  
For such a worm as I?_

_At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,_  
_And the burden of my heart rolled away,_  
_It was there by faith I received my sight,_  
_And now I am happy all the day!_

_Was it for crimes that I had done_  
_He groaned upon the tree?_  
_Amazing pity! grace unknown!_  
_And love beyond degree!_

_At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,_  
_And the burden of my heart rolled away,_  
_It was there by faith I received my sight,_  
_And now I am happy all the day!_

_But drops of grief can ne'er repay_  
_The debt of love I owe:_  
_Here, Lord, I give my self away_  
_'Tis all that I can do._

Frances couldn't help but look up at Fred...he was just standing there, not moving...Something in her MADE her go up to him, she coaxed him outside so they could talk. She knew it was chilly, there was snow on the ground still...but it didn't matter. They went outside anyway ...They could hear the congregation still singing away...

_At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,_  
_And the burden of my heart rolled away,_  
_It was there by faith I received my sight,_  
_And now I am happy all the day!_

"I know it was hard for you...to raise your hand when Rev. Weirich asked all who had scars...I could tell it was hard to do...Your arm was shaking..."

"I was abused as a child...My adopted mother...whipped me...on my chest...my upper arms...my legs..." Fred said and choked back tears... He didn't care if she saw him cry...For some reason it didn't matter to him...

"Don't you see?...Like Rev. Weirich said...your scars show that you're alive, Fred!" Frances felt tears seep out of her eyes..."God loved you so much that He spared your life!...He too was whipped...with a cat-of-nine-tails...He was beaten...spit upon...mocked...They put a robe on him and just that quick...they tore it off of him! He did that for you...and for me...For every single, solitary person in the whole world and just like the Rev. said...He did that and would've done that even if you were the last person on this earth...He has the scars to show for it...Do you KNOW that Man, Fred?..." Frances asked him at last...

He stood there, but she knew his answer..."Would you like to know Him?..." She asked him...

Fred grabbed her hand, and they walked into the church again...they made it to the altar...

"Rev. Weirich...Fred would like to get saved..." Frances smiled up at him..."Could we get one of the men, please?"

"Take him to your father..."

"Yes sir..." Frances said, and they went to her father's pew...

"Frances...you have a Bible, don't you?" Big George smiled..."You can show him, little girl..."

"Oh Pa...I couldn't possibly!"

"Now don't you dare say you can't!" Big George said, putting his arm around his daughter..."You have a Bible...you know how to use it...Go lead your beau to Christ!" He placed a kiss on her forehead...and watched his daughter...and possible future son-in-law go outside and sit down on the church's front steps...Frances explained to Fred that he was a sinner...and Fred sure KNEW that!...She went on to say that the penalty for sin is death...total separation from God in Hell...which is known as the Second Death...

Fred's eyes got wide as he remembered the war and how he watched his army buddy, Jake Henderson die and he told Frances all about it..."I'm sure he went to Hell...I even had a dream about it..." He said shakily...and told her the dream as well..._  
_

Frances had tears streaming down her cheeks after he was all finished...at last she said..."Just like he said, for you to find a way not to go there...There is a way not to..."

"Show me..." He said, quietly...Frances did just that...She showed him he was a sinner...the penalty for sin is death...but she also told him this..."Remember what Rev. Weirich said in his sermon? The scars of Jesus show His want and his desire to see folks saved...He wants that for you too, Fred..." Fred was as ready to be saved as a little child would be and so he bowed his head sitting next to Frances on those church steps and asked Jesus Christ into his heart...to have Him take away and forgive him of his sin...and to take him to Heaven when he died...and Fred was saved right then and there...

Frances leaned forward and kissed him..."There's a new name written down in Glory..." She smiled at him...Fred pulled her closer to him, and she layed her head on his chest..."And it's MINE..." He said, as tears seeped out of his eyes...They were happy tears, for he was glad to FINALLY get this taken care of, and no longer have that aweful feeling of deep conviction and his fear of Hell he had been feeling...

A few weeks later...

"Mr. Gruber..."

"Yes, son?"

"I'll just come right out and say it...You and I both know I love your daughter...and I..."

"I know...you're asking me for her hand...I was wondering when you were going to..."

"So...is that a yes?..." Fred asked.

"Of course!...If you hadn't asked,...I'd have to knock some sense into you, boy..." Big George said, slapping Fred on the shoulder and started laughing...Fred looked shocked, but then soon he loosened up and laughed with him...

"Thank you, sir..." Fred smiled...

"You're quite welcome, son...and I know you'll make a fine husband for my little girl...I've a great deal of respect for and faith in you..."

"Thank you, sir..."

"Now, why are you calling me sir?...You'll be my son-in-law soon enough...that is...when you ask her and you get all the details settled...Call me, George!"

"Yes sir...uh...I mean...George...Wh-what do you think would be a good date?...Of course, I need to get a house and things ready first..."

"How does three months from now...In April, sound?...Get out all the money you have in your pocket right now..."

Fred reached into his trouser pocket..."All I have is a dollar...that's certainly not enough..."

"Oh pish posh!...You can make it up to me later!..." Big George said, snatching up the dollar from the younger man..."What plot of land do you want?"

Without any hesistation, Fred suggested none other than the place where they first met...when she, just a girl of 16...and himself...a young man of 24...

"I really wanted her to wait until she was 18, but what can one month hurt?"

"Thank you, George!"

"Now why are you just standing there and thanking me?...Go show my daughter y'alls land!"

"I will!..." Fred said, jumping into his buckboard and rode off..."THANKS AGAIN, GEORGE!" Fred yelled over his shoulder.

"BE CAREFUL, BOY!...BEFORE YOU KILL YOURSELF!" Big George yelled after him...

Fred rushed over to the Gruber's place and he saw Frances outside chipping ice off of the well...so she could manage to get a few blocks to melt for water...

"FRANCES!" He yelled...

She dropped what she was doing and ran to meet him...

"Fred...What on earth is the matter?"

"Nothing's wrong! Its all good! Everything's wonderful! Just wonderful!...Look, I want you to come with me...I know its chilly out...but I want you to come with me...I have something to show you!"

He helped her up into his buckboard and they rode off...To a place with snow covered pine trees...dozens of them...the ground was completely covered with glittery, white snow...and the small creek was frozen solid...He got out and helped her down, took her hand and ran into the midst of the forest...

"Why did you take me here?" Frances asked, smiling...

"Frances...you know I love you..."

"Yes, I do Fred...Now, WHY did you take me here?" She laughed...

"Because,...I wanted this...to be...the perfect spot..." He said, with his chest heaving, as he ws trying to catch his breath.

"Perfect for what?"

"To do this..." He said, getting down on his knee, in the cold snow...it didn't matter to him at all..."Frances Katherine Gruber...Will you marry this stubborn old boy?"

"Of course I will..." She smiled...and wrapped her arms around his neck...He kissed her...and she kissed him back..."And by the way, I'm just as stubborn as you are!"

"And THIS spot...this very spot where we're standing...is going to be..." Fred went on...

"Is going to be what?" She smiled up at him...

"Our home. OUR home, Frances!...I bought this land from your Pa today...ALL of it, and its ALL ours, Frances!...I knew that first day I met you here...this is where we'd live...if anything would happen between us...and it sure did." He smiled...

Tears seeped out of her twinkling brown eyes at the thought of something so romantic and sweet...

**A/N: The sermon "Why We Can Be Thankful For Scars" is a sermon by my own pastor...He preached it one Sunday morning...Just like in this chapter...he asked the congregation if they would raise their hand, all who has scars...Hands went up all over the room...Including mine...The sermon REALLY hit home for me and was very encouraging and was from where I got the idea and inspiration for this very story. :)**

**I got the idea of Fred getting saved by this quote from Frances..."Some people believe in God a little more than others and others believe in him a little less...and if we accept Christ as our Saviour, when we die, we will go to Heaven and be with Him..." IDK if I agree totally on the first part...but the second part...there is always that hope that SHE accepted Christ as her Saviour...Also, in real life, Fred was a Lutheran, and he turned Catholic without any coaxing from Frances, and he even went to Rev. Weirich and asked for Catholic instructions...**

**The house and land Fred mentions is now my house (He built the house by himself in the 1920's...and his full name is stenciled into our garage door, which he also built)...and part of our yard and our neighbor's yard...I can walk a few feet away from my house, and stand right where Fred and Frances met...:) I remember reading (from my grandpa's little book her wrote of stories and such of our family) that Fred bought the property for just $1!**


	24. Chapter 24

Frances was sitting on her bed up in the loft...gazing down at the gold ring on her left hand...She was mesmirized by the diamond on it...yes, it was small...but to her it was beautiful..._"Its still so strange wearing one of these...I've never owned any kind of ring before..."_

"Need some compny?" Her mother asked, climbing the ladder up to the loft...

"Sure, Ma." Frances smiled, patting on the bed next to her...Franziska sat down next to her daughter and put her arm around her...

"You seem quiet...What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

Frances smiled..."I'm just thinking..."

"About what?"

"Oh, all sorts of things, Ma..." She smiled..."I can't believe that...in just a week...I'll be...married...and out of this house..."

"Are you nervous?..."

"Terrified is more like it..." Her eyes went wide...but then she smiled..."But there's also this other side of me...that...that feels I'm ready to grow up...and then I go back to thinking how unreal and scary this is for me..." She brought her knees up to her chest, pulling her brown skirt down so she was modest...

Franziska wrapped her arms around her 17, almost 18 year old daughter..."You'll be just fine..." She said, placing her lips to the top of her daughter's head, and she took hairpins out of Frances' bun, and smoothed her long, reddish brown hair..."I'm sure of it..." She whispered.

"How do you know that, Ma?"

"Because...You're a strong, fiesty...stubborn young woman...When you set out to do something, you knuckle down and you do it...I know you're nervous...and that's okay...If you wouldn't be, I'd be worried..." Franziska chuckled, which made her daughter crack a smile...

"Just take things as they come...One step at a time...and be wise in your descision making...I know you can do it, sweetheart..." Franziska got up and just as she was going to walk down the ladder, her daughter spoke up...

"Ma?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" She smiled.

Frances smiled at her mother..."Thanks for having so much faith in me...I love you, Ma..."

"I love you, too..." Franziska smiled and stepped down the ladder...

Frances took her hairbrush and began brushing her hair and was about to put it back into a bun, when she heard that familiar team of horses pull up...she went to her window and opened it...

"What are you doing here so late?" She laughed, leaning on the window sill...

"I wanted to show you the house!...Its all finished! So's the land! It's all cleared out!"

"How'd you do all of that in three months?"

"I had a little help!...They're called future brother-in-laws!" He called out to her...

Frances sat there giggling...

"So...Are you just going to sit there laughing...or are you coming with me?..."

"Be down in a minute!"

Frances smiled and practically RAN down the ladder...

"Where are you going?...Slow down!" Big George said as she past the kitchen and was almost out the door...

"Fred wants me to come and see the house!...Love ya, bye,...don't know when I'll be back!"

"What about your hair, child?"

"I'll do it later, Ma!" Frances said, running out the door...

Big George grunted and had a sour look on his face...

Ma Gruber sighed..."She has to grow up sometime, George..."

"I know...but that doesn't mean I like it..."

"Hi..." She said, breathlessly...and he helped her in and they rode off...to what would be in just a week,...THEIR home...

With his arm around her, they walked up to the white house with a blue trimmed porch...and went inside...He excitedly showed her around..."This is the parlor!"...He opened the french doors...and there was a treadle sewing machine by an open doorway on the right side of a wall by two large windows, where she saw the rocking chair she used at her parents' home. It was her's now...On the other side of the windows was a large buffet table that had cupboards of course and a long glass mirror...across the room from the two windows was another door, what was behind it, she didn't know...Frances looked at the open doorway again...

"Go in...See what you find..." He whispered and smiled as he watched her walk through...She found out this room was the kitchen...there was a woodstove...and a table and chairs...there was another small room there too and she opened the door and saw it was the pantry... already filled with all sorts of provisions and dishes...

"How in Heaven's name could he afford all this?" She queitly thought out loud...and an apron on the door of the pantry caught her eye...She picked it up and saw the initials _F.G.L_.

She stifled a small laugh..._"Surely this apron isn't HIS!...Wait? His middle name is John...Why is there a G?"_

"Do you like your apron?"

"My apron?" She asked, turning around...

"Well, it'll be yours soon..." He smiled and placed his hands on her thin waist...

"It will...Soon enough..." She smiled up at him...it dawed on her for the upteenth time that her name wouldn't be Frances Gruber any longer,...it would be...Frances Lay...So the initials_ F.G.L. _to her, now made sense..._F. _for Frances..._G_. for Gruber...and _L_. for Lay.

He gazed at her and smiled..."There's something different about you tonight..."

"Oh...nothing..." She said, touching a strand of wavy auburn hair...

"Yes...There is..." He smiled..."You just look...more beautiful than usual, I reckon..."

She blushed up at him...Frances still never got over him calling her beautiful...a man never really had...her own father never had...All he ever said to her was..."I love you...and I want what's best for you..." and that was in front of the Rev. Weirich...when she was going through a rebellious phase at 13 or 14 years old...

"I love you so much, Frances...You don't know how much...and I don't think I could come up with the words to describe it...You don't know how excited I am for next week...Our wedding day..." He said, carressing her cheek...

Frances opened her mouth slightly to say "I love you..." but quicker than she realized, Fred was kissing her...what could she do but,...kiss back? And of course...She did...

His arms encircled her small waist and brought her closer to him...if it was even possible...

Frances wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, playing with the blond hair on his head...Their slow kisses were breaking ever so often and almost without hesistation, starting up again...their breathing was synchronized...and both of their hearts beating at just the same pace...Before they knew it, their kissing became faster and faster...His hands, rubbing up and down her back...smoothing her hair... and soon Fred brought his hands to her face...stroking her cheeks with his thumbs, his strong hands...The scent of her lavender perfume drove him crazy!...He noticed his hardness...and wished he could rip off his trousers to relieve himself...Otherwise, he thought it might burst though, because of so much pressure!

Frances brought her arms around his waist, slightly moving upward, and she grabbed at his back...

"You want to stop?" He asked, almost out of breath...Almost dissapointed.

"No...Why should we stop?" Was her reply...she was breathless and her chest was heaving...Her heart was pounding rapidly...She felt...tingly all over...and excited...and she felt quite...damp...in her 'special' area...She knew exactly what it was...What was going on with her own body...

Without even realizing it at first...she began unbuttoning the buttons on Fred's solid color teal shirt...

"Frances..." He gasped...and she began kissing him again...He didn't say a thing and followed her lead, and Fred backed away while she was walking against him, out of the doorway of the kitchen...across the room, through another one, up the staircase that winded towards the bottom...The room they were in was dark, but it seemed they knew just where to step...well, except for Frances...but she figured their next destination was a bedroom...One that would soon be...THEIR bedroom...At last they made it to a smaller room in the back...In the dark she saw the outline of a bed...a few quilts on it, she figured...They backed up until Frances felt her back hit the soft bed...Fred began unbuttoning her brown and tan checked blouse...and she tore it off of her body...He threw it to the side and she unbuttoned her skirt, slid it off of her and tossed it with her blouse on the floor...Frances took of her chemise, bloomers and two petticoats and flung them over the end of the bed...Her heart was racing, and she knew they shouldn't be doing this but she didn't give a care...She knew she loved this man...and she knew without a single doubt in her mind that he loved her back...She unbuttoned his shirt and tugged it off of him and tossed it to the floor...She gazed at his perfectly toned, strong chest, covered with blond hair,... for just a moment...He took her in his arms and began kissing her, and she rolled over on her back as he was kissing her, touching and caressing her body...they were both still breathing heavily...Finally, Frances rolled over and stood up...

Fred was panting hard..."I'm...sorry...We can...stop...now...if you...want...I shouldn't have...taken advantage...of you...I feel dirty...What a sorry...loser...I am!"

"You're not...and don't be sorry...I want this, Fred..." She lit a match and lit a gas lamp she saw on the end table next to the bed..."It's too dark in here..."

He gasped as he saw her womanly form in the lamplight...She turned herself and there she stood, completely unclothed in front of him...He looked up and down at her 5"5 form, from her head to her feet...He knew he shouldn't...but he couldn't help it...And this woman was his soon to-be-wife, after all.

He gasped..."You're...beautiful...You're even better than I imagined you would be..." Fred gazed at her small shoulders, small, but, just as beautiful breasts, her hint of a slight belly, her small navel, the curve of her hips, he gazed longingly at her womanhood...He couldn't stop staring at that...His gaze lingered down to her long legs and then back up at her face..."I thought we could...have sex...like we were about to...in complete darkness...so you wouldn't see me..." He said, turning away from her...

"Of course I want to see you!...I love you...and in a week, you'll be my husband..."

"Frances...why would you want to see this scarred body of mine?...I know...my scars...they're ugly!...Sometimes, I can't stand to even look at myself!...Why would you want to?...I know you wouldn't think I look attractive..."

"Why?...Because I love Fred John Lay...the person...NOT just for his body!..." Tears flooded her eyes, and began to run down her cheeks..."And how would you know I wouldn't think you're attractive?"

"If I don't even like looking at my own damn body, why would you?" He was stern with her...

Her eyes narrowed..."You don't _KNOW _if I would or wouldn't enjoy the look of your body...But let me tell you this...I ENJOY the feel of your body next to mine...I think that's more important than looks! How you FEEL!...And I never want to hear another swear word come from those wonderful lips of yours again! Do you hear me?...You know I HATE swearing!"

What could he say after a tounge lashing like that? Nothing...so Frances went on...

"Call me crazy...call me a wild, fiesty woman...but I want to experience the love you have for me! In this room...with the light ON!...It isn't dirty...or lustful!...Yes, I admit, having sex NOW, before we're even married, both you and I won't be as pure and clean as we could've been...but we're getting married NEXT WEEK for crying out loud!...And in the first place, we LOVE each other! THAT's all that really matters...Doesn't it?"

All Fred said next was four words..."Maybe I like fiesty..." He grinned...

"Then get ready..." She laughed, and as frisky and as lively as a little kitten, she climbed on the bed over him and they started again...She smiled down at him, kissing him passionately, never ceasing...Her hands felt and her eyes saw his rock-hard chest and abs...Sure if you looked closely, you could see faint scars etched in his body...But she barely noticed them...It didn't matter to her...She loved him...for him. He rolled her over on her back again...he placed tender, passionate kisses on her shoulders...her neck...he moved even lower and started kissing her breasts and the spot in-between...He buried his face in that spot and stayed there...breathing in her scent...He could still smell the lavender perfume...and he absolutely LOVED it...Making his way back up to her face, he kissed all the way up until he reached her face, and placed more kisses all over her...his lips soon found hers...and he stroked and carressed every inch of her beautiful body...He brought his mouth to one of her breasts, and he sucked the nipple and swirled his tounge around it, also massaging her other one..."_Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love." _She quoted from Proverbs 5:19...

"I love it when you quote Scripture...Quote me more..." Fred whispered seductively...

And so she did..."Song of Solomon 1:2, _Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine..." _

He obeyed the command and started kissing her once again...and she continued to quote from the book of Song of Solomon..."_His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend..."_

_"His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me." _She quoted.

_"A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts_." Frances quoted again,...and Fred obeyed every word...

Every touch of his made her feel alive and wanting more...and so she did the unthinkable, her fingers walked down his abs and teased at the buttons on his trousers till she tore them off of him and threw them who knows where!

She stared at his manhood...No, she wasn't in shock...she had seen one before...she caught peeks of the boys at the swimming hole...She did feel guitly later...but as she got older she figured she should know these things...she didn't want to be caught unprepared and naive...

"Show me how much you really love me, Fred..." She whispered in his ear..."I want you inside me...I want you NOW..." She placed a light kiss on his ear and slowly nibbled it a little...

And so he did...He softly layed her against the bed...She spread her legs and felt him get on top of her, open her womanhood widely with no trouble at all, and she felt him enter her...and it made her feel more alive than ever before!...With every thrust he made, moans of pleasure and ecstasy escaped her lips...the same for him as well,...he brought his lips to hers again...and kissed her as he moved within her...She wanted more and him deeper her inside her, so she flipped them over so she was on top of him and controlled every move...

"Oh...Oh!...OHHH!...Oh Frances!...Don't STOP!" Fred moaned...He wished he could start screaming at the top of his lungs...and feared he would, but he was afarid of scaring her and ruining their moment...His arms were wrapped around her waist and moving lower and lower with every inch...Somehow he was on top of her again, and what happened next almost made him start shouting...He spilled his seed into her...When it was all over, the two layed there intertwined in each other, breathing heavy...She gently squeezed his hand three times to them it meant, 'I love you' and he squeezed back four times for 'I love you, too'...and both of them soon fell asleep and slept there until the early hours of the morning...

Frances felt sweet, tender kisses on her face the next morning...her eyes fluttered open and she saw...him.

_"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine:" _She whispered...

"Did you enjoy last night?..." He asked, drawing imgainary circles on her arm...

"Yes...More than words could describe..."

"I love you..." Fred smiled at her...he leaned to kiss her but she sprang up out of the bed..."My folks...They're probably worried sick about me!..." She said trying to get together her clothing...

"I'll take you home..."

Frances tugged on her underclothing, just her underclothing...and went out to his buckboard...He brought her quietly and safely home...and she snuck in and up to the loft...She was terrified somebody would catch her...but, thankfully, no one in the whole house was up...The secret of their passionate, love-filled night together was kept that way...She hoped...

**A/N: Frances actually had a pearl engagement ring. Has a little design around the pearl that reminds me of an angel. :) The ring is so pretty, and my ring finger fits it perfectly! I may own it someday. :)**


	25. Chapter 25

Frances was sitting on her bed, trying to catch her breath from her adrenaline rush...from her night with Fred...but also the fear that she could've been caught at any time...

Her own words echoed in her mind, "_Yes, I admit, having sex NOW, before we're even married, both you and I won't be as pure and clean as we could've been..."_

Light tears began to drip from her eyes, and slide down her cheeks..."Now...I feel...dirty..." She thought out loud...She didn't understand how something could feel SO wonderful one moment...and then the next, so dirty she wanted to take bath after bath after bath, just to feel clean again.

"One week...couldn't I have held off ONE week?..." She thought she couldn't help it that she did what she did...she wanted him! She had sex dreams about the two of them! Daily fantasies! She'd look at his lips and wish he'd lean in a kiss the life out of her, much more than just the little pecks and smooches he had been doing! She'd see the muscles through his shirt and wish she could SEE him shirtless! She'd look him up and down and wonder how the sex would be with him..."You dwelled too much on it, Frances..." She said to herself. "You messed up...you didn't remain accountable, you weren't guarding yourself,...your heart." She knew there are always consequences to immorallity,...and that those consequences are far greater than the pleasures. The pleasures are temporary, but the consequences are permanent...and those consequences often include bodily harm. Was it just her...or did the pain she felt in her lower half was emotional pain, coming through the surface...and transforming into the little bit of physical pain she felt? Or was it just the horror stories she heard about sex? That it was painful?...She didn't know.

Frances felt that she should at least TRY to get some sleep, and so she layed down on her back and closed her eyes,...but then she saw _his _face..._his _smile...she thought she could still feel _his _touch, _his _kiss...the feel of _his_ body on hers...the feeling of _him_ inside her. She KNEW without a doubt that they loved each other...That surely counted, didn't it? SHE thought so...and she knew she did what she did, and she knew she couldn't change it...Yes, she felt guilty now...but there was a part of her that was GLAD they had that time together...And knew there would be many more...considering they were to be married in a week. She just hoped it would be as wonderful and as special as the night they had tonight.

The days were passing, getting closer to their wedding day...The day had come and Franziska was helping her get ready and had something to present to her daughter...

"I've been making this for you...What do you think? Close enough to what you wanted?" Franziska smiled, holding up a dark red prairie-style dress...and a magazine...

"Oh Ma! It's beautiful!...You took inspiration from the picture of the $7 dress I wanted!...It's the exact same color too! Ma...You're the best!" She said, wrapping her mother up in a hug...Frances was about to cry...she just couldn't believe it!

"GO try it on!...See how it fits! I don't think I'll have to make any alterations...but you never know..."

Frances stepped behind the dressing screen and took off her blue plaid blouse and dark blue skirt, laying them over the dressing screen, one by one...She slipped into the beautiful dark red dress and buttoned each gold button, inset with a single, small pearl. And she came out from behind the dressing screen...

"Well...don't you look as pretty as a picture..." Franziska smiled, proudly. "It fits like a glove..." The sleeves were down to her tiny wrists, the bodice on the dress was quite snug, it was loose at her hips and the hem reached to her ankles..."Here put these on...They'll look wonderful with the dress..." She said, holding up a pair of brown ankle boots...

Frances lifted her right foot up on her bed, and slipped the boot on her foot...Franziska slipped a silver sixpence coin into the heel of Frances' left boot and Frances put it on...

"Well, you've got the new...and the sliver sixpence...now all we need is the old, the borrowed and the blue..." Her mother smiled..."I have JUST the thing for the old!" Franziska said, going into her and her husband's room, rumaging through a small oak box where she kept her most valuable possesions...she came back with a white handkerchief, with a fancy _Franziska_ embroidered on it...It worked, since both women were named Franziska.

"Your grandmother, Barbara Mosbauer Gilch,...my mother, made this handkercheif for me when I married your Pa...It's yours now, sweetheart...I've been meaning to give it to you...And I think this is just the occasion..."

"Oh Ma...Its so beautiful!...I'll take wonderful care of it, I promise..." Frances smiled...

"Now for the borrowed...The old widow Cernik wanted you to wear this today...She did on her wedding day...I think it goes quite nicely with your dress..." She held up a red garnet brooch. Franziska pinned the brooch to the front of the dress...

"Its beautiful..." Frances gasped..."Tell her thank you for me, if I can't get to her first..."

"I will..." She smiled. "Now for the blue...I have just the thing..." She said, holding up a blue ribbon..."I wore this in my hair when your Pa and I got married...but since it doesn't really go with your dress, it'll do just fine tied around your bouquet..." Franziska held up a bouquet of blue Forget-Me-Nots, tiny purplish-blue violets, and lily of the valley and carefully tied the blue ribbon around them...Franziska twisted Frances' hair into a bun, pinned it with hairpins, and she put sprigs of baby's breath in her lovely reddish brown hair...and stood back to see how she looked...

"You look absolutely breathtaking, sweetheart...I can't wait to see the look on Fred's face when he catches a glimpse of you..." She smiled at her daughter...They heard the Rev. Weirich pull up and Franziska went downstairs to meet him...

"Hello Reverend. How are you this afternoon?"

"Doing quite well, Mrs. Gruber...Are we ready to start?"

"No sir...Fred will be here shortly, I assume...We're just waiting for him...Just make yourself comfortable in the parlor, that's where the ceremony will take place..." Mrs. Gruber smiled. "Besides, you're early..."

"Never been one for being late...I guess my profession has a lot to do with that...I'm always the first one there at God's house, bright and early on Sunday morning..." Rev. Weirich smiled...

They heard a frantic knock on the front door and Mrs. Gruber went to answer it...and there stood Fred, panting heavily and trying to catch his breath..."Please tell me I'm NOT late!"

"You're early, Fred...Now calm yourself down, you're just a bundle of nerves!" She laughed...

"I just wanted to make sure everything was perfect!"

"You are...You clean up very nicely Fred..." Franziska said, inspecting him...He was wearing his best brown slacks, a light brown button-down shirt and brown suspenders and shoes...his blond hair was combed neatly. He looked quite handsome..."Just wait till Frances sees you!..." She smiled.

"Well, I think we're ready to start!" The Reverend Weirich smiled...

Mr. Gruber climbed up the ladder to the loft..."Hey, little girl...You ready?" He smiled...

"Well, if I'm not, I better get ready...huh, Pa!" She laughed...

"I'm happy I get to see this day come...Just not so happy of losing you, little girl..."

Frances smiled..."I'll always be your girl, Pa...Just not so little anymore..." She said, wrapping her arms around him. She looked up at him and noticed a few tears streaming down his cheeks...it was the first time she had ever seen the large man cry...

"You've sprouted up right before my eyes,...look at you! A beautiful young woman..."

It almost shocked her that she heard him call her beautiful and a tear ran down her cheek..."Thank you, Pa...And you're not losing a daughter...you're gaining a son..." She smiled...

Big George laughed..."Not another one of those!" He brought her to his chest..."Oh, I love you!"

"I love you too, Pa..." She said, burying her face in his chest, trying not to cry...but it wasn't working so well...

He held her by the shoulders and looked into that pair of chocolate brown eyes that always had a twinkle in them..."I'm so proud of you! Finally making it to this day...as pure as the driven snow." He said at last...

A small half-smile crept across her face...she knew she really wasn't all that pure...

"Oh, enough of all this mushy stuff...I don't want to make you cry more than you need to on your special day...They're waiting for us down there now...C'mon...Let's go..." He smiled and walked down the ladder and held her hand, helping her down the ladder...

"We're ready to start, George..." Franziska said excitedly..."Let me get one last look at you, sweetheart..." She gazed at her daughter, rearanging the baby's breath adorned in her hair, smoothing her dress..."You look beautiful..." She said, kissing her daughter's cheek.

"Thank you, Ma" Frances said, about to cry.

"Now don't be turning on the water works! You'll make me start bawling!" Her mother said.

"I'm surprized you haven't already..." Big George whispered.

"Oh hush up, you old fool!" Ma Gruber laughed...

"Ain't no fool, like an old fool!" Frances laughed.

Her parents started laughing..."Franziska Katherine Gruber! While you still use that name you know we can still take you out behind the woodshed!"

She playfully stuck her tounge out at them. "You won't be able to in a few minutes!"

Big George laughed..."Lord help that, boy! Hopefully he'll be able to stand your sassyness...and your fiestyness!"

"Maybe he likes fiesty!" Frances said, arm in arm with her father, standing in the doorway of the parlor, they were finally ready to start...

Fred saw her...He thought his heart skipped a beat! She looked so beautiful...more beautiful than he had ever seen her!

Frances and her father walked the floor of the parlor, slowly...to where Rev. Weirich was standing...with Fred standing next to him. Frances's brothers, George, John, and Joseph...and her mother were in the room as witnesses...Frances had invited her best friend Liz Palmer, but she couldn't come, as she was sick...

"Who gives away this woman?" Rev. Weirich asked.

"I do..." Came the reply.

"And what is the relation?"

"Her father..." Big George replied...and hugged his daughter...whispered 'I love you' and allowed her to join hands with her groom.

The phrase, "If anyone has a reason that these two should not be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." was unneeded, because this was her family after all...they knew she loved him and he loved her...so there wasn't a reason! And so they went right to exchanging rings and the wedding vows...

"Do you...Fred John Lay, take this woman to be your wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health...till death do you part?"

"I do..." He said, smiling and gazing into Frances' loving brown eyes. Frances had his ring in hand, and slipped it on the ring finger on his left hand...

The Rev. Weirich smiled and looked at Frances...He had seen this young woman grow up in his church...They had joked she had been going nine months before she was born! This day was special for him as well, he was marrying off one of his faithful church members...He continued.

"And do you...Frances Katherine Gruber, take this man to be your husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health...till death do you part?"

"I do..." Frances said...looking at that handsome face, those wonderful gray-blue eyes...the electrifying smile that was on his face. She smiled and looked at her hand as he carefully took her ring and slipped it on her slender ring finger...and she looked back up at him...

"By the power vested in me, by the state of Iowa, on this 2nd day of April, I now pronounce you,...man and wife."

They both looked at the Rev. Weirich for his signal by saying five words..."You may kiss the bride..."

Fred took her in his arms, wrapping them around her waist, and smiled down at her...Frances wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, and in the process, she dropped her bouquet of flowers. She tilted her head to the left and she kissed her groom!

All three of her brothers...and her parents immediately came up to her and invaded her with hugs and kisses...they also went up to Fred, and shook his hand, welcoming him into their family...Later they enjoyed a supper together, celebrating this special day. Soon, it was time for Fred and Frances Lay to go...HOME. It was just a short walk down the road from where they were, and Fred had walked over there as it was...

"You want me to drop you two off?" Big George offered.

"Oh no, Pa...I'm fine with walking over! That's why God gave me legs!" She said, with Fred and her walking out the door.

"Oh no you're not!...I'm carrying you!" Fred said, putting his arm on her back and lifting her up by her legs...

"Fred John Lay...You are going to CARRY me all the way down the hill?" She almost laughed...she couldn't believe her ears.

"You bet'cha!" He smiled at her...

Frances wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned to kiss him. They made it down the small hill and through the threshold of their new home...

"Now...put me DOWN so I can go make some coffee or tea for the two of us!" She giggled. Frances lingered there a moment as Fred wrapped his arms around her waist...and she kissed him. She lay her head on his chest, his arms still wrapped around her.

"I thought you were going to go make some coffee..." Fred whispered.

"All right..." She smiled up at him, and left for a moment to go into the kitchen...She made the coffee and was getting cups and things together...suddenly she felt a pair of hands around her waist and kisses on her neck...

"I thought you were going to let me make the coffee!" She laughed.

"I was...but I found something better to do..." Came his reply.

She turned around and leaned against the counter as he kissed her...She looked up and smirked at him. "Don't get too excited...I'm not having sex in this kitchen!"

"That sounds like fun..." Fred raised his eyebrows.

"You'd think so! You dirty rascal!" Frances laughed. "Now let me finish the coffee!...Go sit down at the table..."

"Yes ma'am..." And he obeyed.

She set two cups down on the counter, poured their coffee and stirred in milk and sugar...

"I thought you said you hated coffee..." Fred smiled..."And no tea?"

"A woman can change..." She smiled...Frances took a sip of her coffee. "Its actually not that bad..."

"And I thought you'd never touch the stuff..." Fred smiled.

"I'm just acquiring a taste for it, I guess...Besides...I made the tea, took one sip of it and it tasted so strange to me..."

An hour had passed..."I guess its time we headed up to...bed." He smiled.

"Just let me use the outhouse first..." She said, and went outside and used the outhouse. Fred headed upstairs and waited for her.

She hiked up her dress and pulled down her underthings...and she saw a little blood stain on her bloomers..._"I must've started my cycle. On TODAY of all days!...Looks like its a light one this month. That's a blessing at least."_ She thought. "That's strange...I barely have any pain!...Then again, I was probably so excited about today...I barely noticed..." Frances smiled...She made it back to the house, grabbed a few rags to take care of her little 'problem' and went upstairs to their bedroom, and she saw Fred with his shirt off already.

"You get right down to business, don't you?..." She laughed, placing her hands on his chest..."I hate to rain on your little parade, Mr. Lay...but I can't tonight..."

"And why's that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I uh...started my cycle..." She said quietly, looking down and then back up at his face.

"This isn't just an attempt to reject me, is it?"

"No...How could I reject you?" She smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Well,...I guess you best be getting your nightgown on...Doesn't mean I still can't sleep with you..."

Frances was behind the changing screen, giggling. Fred looked up and saw her face.

"I know...Poor choice of words..." He laughed. Frances came out dressed in her lacy, white nightgown that reached a full five inches below her knees...She got into bed and under the covers.

"Are you going to sleep in that or are you going to put on your nightshirt?" Frances asked sarcastically.

"Maybe I wanted to undress in front of you..."

"Ohhhh...Now with that,...you'd get me too excited!" Frances grinned.

"Just helping with your blood circulation...keeps your heart pumping...keeps things going smoothly, ya know..." He laughed, taking off his brown slacks...Frances laughed at what he said...and looked over and saw him naked.

Frances felt her heart pounding in her chest and she felt all tingled again and her breathing had quickened. "There you go getting me all excited again!" She said in a low-pitched giggling. She turned her head and began brushing her hair. She felt him get under the covers with her.

"You're not mad at me?" Frances asked, turning over on her side, looking at him in the moonlight...

"Well,...it is your cycle, right?" He smirked..."You're not just trying make an excuse..."

"I'm not..."

"Well, I know you can't help it...Just the way your body works..." He said, laying next to her and placed his hand on her hip and then moved up her waist... "And I love your body..."

"I love you..." She kissed him. "And I love your body too...You know that, right?"

Fred avoided answering her...he knew she loved him...for him...but now she's saying she is attracted to his body?...He couldn't comprehend that at all...Except that...the way he saw himself...she didn't see him that way...

"Love you..." Fred said, leaning in and kissing her...He reached over and intertwined his fingers over hers..."How does it feel to be the second...Mrs. Lay?" He looked over and smiled at her...

"The second?" Frances' eyebrows furrowed..."Oh! Your mother?" Thinking it was a cute, little joke...

"No...well yes...but no...I maybe should've told you this before...but I was married before...for like 5 seconds..." He laughed...

Frances laughed..."You're kidding with me..."

"No...I'm telling the truth..."

Frances was silent and then she scooted over closer to him, and placed her hand on his chest and her head on his shoulder..."Was she pretty?"

"Not as pretty as you..." Fred smiled, wrapping an arm around her, and rubbed her back.

"What made you two end it?"

Fred chuckled. "Her Pa...Socked me one, right in the kisser!...And..."

"And what?..." Frances asked, looking up at him.

"She wasn't you..." He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "You're the one for me..."

"And you're the one for me..." She smiled.

Fred sat up in bed and looked at her..."And I want you to know...I will never, ever strike you...I know the pain of being abused...and I will not put you through that...You hear me? I won't let it happen..." Unshed tears were in his gray-blue eyes. "A woman doesn't deserve that...MY woman doesn't deserve that..."

She squeezed his hand three times in their symbolic gesture of 'I love you' and he responded with four, which, of course meant, 'I love you, too.'

"And if we ever get in an argument...I don't want us yelling at each other...I don't want our children hearing us fight..." Frances insisted.

"Me either..." He smiled..."I want our kids to know that their Ma and Pa love each other..."

Frances lay there awhile...Just thinking...It interested her that Fred had picked up on the conversation and was talking so soon about children already...and thought they might as well talk about it sooner or later...Frances was about to ask how soon they should wait to have a baby, but she looked over and she saw that Fred had fallen asleep...so she cuddled up closer to him, and closed her eyes as well. She soon fell asleep, as she felt extremely fatigued. She chalked it up to all the excitement from the day...

**A/N: Fred and Frances Lay were married on July 16, 1912. I did not know this at the time of writing this. Forgive me!**

** I found their wedding photo too. Fred wore a nice suit. Frances wore a polka dot two-piece dress, with a cross necklace...and a big funny-looking, flowered hat on her head! lol... They both wore a boutonniere of some sort of flower.**


	26. Chapter 26

A month had passed, it was May...Frances had turned 18 on the 23rd...Her parents and brothers had invited them over for a party for her...but then Fred and Frances had a supper to celebrate, just the two of them a few days later...

Frances set a plate full of pot roast, buttered mashed potatoes, and corn on the table in front of Fred...and she set a nice tall glass of milk next to the plate...

"Thank you, sweetheart..." Fred said, capturing her lips in a kiss..."Looks wonderful..."

She made sure he had everything he needed and then sat down at the table herself...

"So did you have a good day at work today?" Frances smiled...buttering a slice of homemade bread.

"Yep..." He smiled..."Good Lord kept us safe...that's all that matters...that and good money comin' in later..."

Frances smiled..."That will be good...Finally got around to planting my garden!...Come harvestime, we'll have a whole mess of potatoes...leeks, cabbage, tomatoes, onions...Just about everything!"

"Good...Just don't work too hard...I don't want you hurting yourself...Anything heavy, I don't want you carrying it...You come and get me..."

"Fred...I will not hurt myself...I'm pretty strong..."

"For a woman...and to me, a woman should be treated like a china tea cup...You leave the heavy stuff to me..."

"You know how stubborn I am!...When there's a job to be done, I do it! No questions asked!"

"I'm stubborn myself...and I don't want you carrying anything heavy..."

"This isn't a thing to be arguing about anyway...Lets just drop it...and be done with it..." Frances said...

A corner of Fred's mouth turned upward..."We weren't arguing...we were having a creative discussion..."

"Fred!" She laughed...and he started laughihng as well..."Well let's END the creative dicussion!" Frances said, still laughing...

He changed the subject... "Oh honey..." Fred laughed..."The supper's great...but...I think you gave me a bit too much!"

"I'll put some back then...I have three brothers! And you know how George can put it away! And John! My word that man eats like a house 'afire, but still stays as skinny as a rail!...I'm just so used to making bigger portions!" She said, taking his plate.

"Oh, its all right..." Fred giving her a kiss on the cheek..."Maybe I should start working up more of an appetite!" He laughed...

She pointed her skinny finger at him..."Just as long as you're happy, healthy...and had a hearty meal...that's okay with me!...I love cooking anyway..."

"Happy, healthy, and hearty...sounds good to me!" Fred laughed...He changed the subject and announced a new job he'd be doing with John..."John and I are going to have a delievery service...just an extra little job...I'd only be gone July, August..."

"That's wonderful..." She smiled...He noticed she had her hands on her head...

"You all right?" He asked, getting up and going over to her..."What's wrong?...You feeling sick?" Fred stood there rubbing her back.

"Maybe just a little queasy...and I have a headache...and I just feel really tired is all...I guess I worked a little too hard today..."

He leaned down and kissed her..."You just get into your nightgown. Sleep will help you, I bet..."

"But I've got the dishes to do!...Fred, I can't just stop everything just because I don't feel well!" She said, getting up and picking up the wash tub...she was about to go outside to the well...

"Drop. That. Wash. Tub." He said each word through his teeth...He meant it!

"No..." She growled and turned and walked out the door...and he followed her. In just a few strides...she had stepped off the steps of the summer kitchen and was already at the well, pumping water...

"I'm carrying that in for you..."

"Oh, no you're not..." She said, picking it up and turned around...

"Yes, I am...Frances..." Fred said taking it from her..."I meant what I said, I don't want you carrying anything heavy..."

"Its not heavy!...I can carry it just fine!" She looked at him...and he was glaring at her..."Fine!...You want to carry it, you're helping me with the dishes then!..." She said. Frances knew she was in quite a fiesty mood...She couldn't help it!

"Done..." Fred smiled...and he followed her inside...Fred put the water-filled wash tub on the woodstove to heat up...Frances grabbed the soap, and when the water was hot enough, the two started to wash the dishes...but Fred turned it into a fight...A soapy water fight, that is...

"Stop that!...Fred, stop it!"" She laughed, as he was splashing soapy water at her...Frances picked up a handful of soapy suds and blew them at him...With that, he splashed more soapy water at her..."Fred John!"

"Stop it!" She laughed..."Stop!...Fred, you're getting soap suds all over my skirt!"

Fred placed his hand on her thigh..."I can take care of that..." He smiled...and moved his hands to the front of her burgundy skirt and fiddled with the buttons...

"You want some...then lets go...upstairs..." She whispered seductively in his ear, and kissed it...

"Why can't we just...stay down here?...Hmmmm?" Fred asked, pulling back some of her blouse and began kissing her neck and shoulder...She took and ran a hand up to his head and ran her fingers through his blond hair...He kissed all the way up her neck and kissed her face until she turned her head and let him kiss her on the lips...and she opened her mouth slightly to deepen the kiss...Then she pushed him away quickly...

"Hey...What did you do that for?"

Frances laughed..."You want me?...Come get me!" She said, got up and ran up the stairs as fast as she could...Frances was laughing so hard as she heard him gaining on her, and she had just gotten into their room, he caught her around the waist and they both fell onto the bed...both of them in a heap of laughter!

"I love you!" Fred smiled at her...

"I love you too...Now lets do what we came here for!" She laughed...

"I like the sound of that!" Fred grinned, and kissed her.

"I knew you would!" She said, unbuttoning her brown blouse...and sliding off her burgundy skirt in front of him.

Fred licked his lips and started to unbutton his shirt...

"Let me help you with that..." Frances gave him a smirky smile...and unbuttoned each button slowly...kissing him every now and then...

"I thought you said you were feeling sick..." He smirked at her...

She wrapped her arms around his neck..."It comes and goes...I'm okay now..." She smiled up at him...

"Good..." He raised his eyebrows. And leaned down and kissed her..."Now...Where were we?..."

"Let me refresh your memory..." She said, and her hands moved to his trousers and undid the buttons, and let them fall to the floor and he kicked them off of his ankles...He helped her take off her chemise, and she slid off her petticoats...And she teased him as she slid her bloomers down, inch by inch,...to her ankles. She picked up a petticoat and threw it at him...

He held it up in front of him..."Nope...Not my color..."

She laughed..."You sick minded little devil!" Frances got on the bed...

"So what is this?...Our second time this week?" Fred smiled.

Frances laughed..."More like our fourth!...You just don't think you get enough!"

"Doesn't seem like enough...Nothing's come of it yet..."

"I'm sure we'll get pregnant sooner or later." She smiled up at him..."Sometimes it takes awhile..."

"I'll just enjoy you for the time being, hmmm..." He smiled, wrapping his arms around her, and began kissing her...They soon shared their special time together as man and wife...and afterward, they talked and cuddled awhile until they fell asleep...


	27. Chapter 27

The month of June had come and Frances still was feeling quite ill...Her headaches had stopped, but she still had an aweful queasy feeling in her stomach, and she began having bad nosebleeds...

Fred was away at work and so Frances was home alone...and she felt another nosebleed coming on...

"Not again! This is the third time today!" She moaned, taking a handkerchief over her nose, and tilting her head back..."I used to get these all the time as a little girl...I guess some things never change..." Frances half-laughed. She felt blood drip into her throat...and that made her feel all the more nauseous...So she pinched her nose with the hanky and leaned forward slightly...and the bleeding stopped soon...

"Hallelujah..." Frances sighed in relief.

She was all too stubborn to go to the doctor. Until, her mother dropped by their place and practically dragged Frances, kicking and screaming into Dr. Walker's office! Well,...techinically...she wasn't ACTUALLY kicking and screaming! But with her stubborn and fiesty temperment, she might as well have been!

Frances had told Dr. Walker her symptoms...and he asked for further ones as he was examining her..."When was your last cycle?"

"My last cycle?...Why, in May, I believe...and I haven't had one since...and it was the strangest thing! It was only a small amount of blood...and it only lasted about three days...I figured I was irregular..."

"Hmmm...I see...Did you experience the same thing a month before?" Dr. Walker asked, looking at a medical book of his...

"Yes...I did."

"And a month before then?"

"Why, no...it was normal..."

"Have you had any breast changes? Do they feel fuller or tender? And is there any darkening in a 'certain area'?...If you know what I mean..."

"Ummm...yes sir..." Frances was embarrassed to be telling him all of this...but he was her doctor and she knew he was used to this...This was his job! And Frances had known Dr. Walker since she was a girl about 10 years old...She had known him and he had been the town's doctor for some time now. And his granddaughter, Helen Clark Spencer, was Frances' new friend.

"Have you gained any weight lately?"

"Yes sir...but not much."

"You said you've been feeling sick lately...Have you been throwing up?"

"Oh no, sir...I hate throwing up! I can't stand it." She laughed..."I've just been feeling very queasy is all..."

Dr. Walker smiled..."I guess you're one of the lucky ones, Mrs. Lay..."

"Lucky ones?" She asked, not really knowing what he meant.

"Why don't you put the rest of your clothes back on and then I'll tell you..." He smiled...and Frances stepped behind the changing screen and put her skirt and blouse back on again...She had a feeling she might know what he was about to tell her, but her heart was pounding rapidly in her chest...she was nervous and a little bit frightened.

"I don't know how else to tell you this Mrs. Lay..." Dr. Walker began...and all the while, Frances' heart was beating more rapidly every minute and her breathing had quickened...she was afraid something could be wrong with her. "...but congratulations...you're pregnant, Mrs. Lay..."

"Pr-pregnant?" She gasped.

"Yes...and again, congratulations..."

Frances stood there...grasping the back of a chair so she wouldn't faint...because, for the first time in her whole life...she felt like she was about to. Frances let a long breath out she had been holding in.

"Mrs. Lay?...Mrs. Lay...Frances!" Dr. Walker said and finally got her to respond to him..."Are you all right?...Here, sit down...Rest awhile..." He grabbed the chair and pulled it out for her and she sat down...

"I'm fine..." Frances said, still in a state of shock.

"Mrs. Lay, you've broken out into a cold sweat...Are you sure you're all right?" The older man questioned.

"Yes Dr. Walker...How...How far along am I?"

"Two...maybe three months...Your symptoms are pointing to three..." Dr. Walker placed his hand on her shoulder..."Are you sure you're okay?...How about I get you a glass of cold water?...It might help you some..." He said and he left his office and soon returned with a tall glass of cold water...

"Thank you, Dr. Walker..." Frances said, taking the glass and took a drink.

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes sir, I...I think so...The news..."

"Came as a shock to you?" He chuckled, finishing her sentence for her. "That's quite all right...Most women can't believe it at first...I'll give you time to let it all sink in..." Dr. Walker left the office. Frances sat there awhile and thought back to three months earlier..._"Its June...three months before would've been...March...The night Fred showed me the house..."_ It hit her like a ton of bricks..."_It only takes ONE time! It HAD to been then!...Oh my Lord! My family is going to find about this! I have to tell them about the baby...I have to tell Fred! Oh he's going to be so angry at me! I just know he will!...I REALLY messed up this time." _She thought, with her head in her hands, and started weeping.

Frances heard footsteps walk across the wooden floor and she felt her mother's arms wrap around her in a close hug, and Frances started bawling into her mother's shoulder...Franziska rubbed her daughter's back..."What's wrong, sweetheart?...Now calm down, Frances...Shhh, calm yourself...What did Dr. Walker say?"

"I...I...I'm so...sor...sorr...sorry...Ma!" Frances said, as she was still bawling her brown eyes out...

"Sorry for what?"

"I...I'm...I'm pregnant, Ma..." Frances said, looking up at her mother, with tears streaming down her face...

"That's certainly no thing to be sorry about!...Why in Heaven's name are you crying over this, child?"

"Because I'm...I'm...three months along, Ma...Fred and I got married in April..."

Franziska was silent, letting this sink in...

"It was in late March...Fred picked me up to show me the house...I...I don't know what happened...One thing led to another and we found ourselves upstairs...in the bedroom..."

"Good Lord,...my daughter's a little tramp..."

"I knew you'd say that!" Frances wailed..."Its all my fault!...but...I wanted that night with him, Ma!...I...I just couldn't help it!...I'm sorry!...I understand if you want to disown me. I'm horrible!"

"Hey now, I was only teasing you about calling you a tramp...and I certainly will not disown you!...The important thing now is you and Fred are married...And you love each other..." She placed a hand on her daughter's thin belly..."And I know this baby was conceived through love...not just a one night thing. Hold onto that, sweetheart...Hold onto that fact that you two are married now,...that you love each other,...and that you both will love this baby...And I know you will..." She said, pulling her daughter into a hug.

"Then why am I afraid that Fred will be mad at me?" Frances asked, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Because that's just it...You're afraid of what he's going to think...What he's going to say about this...If he loves you like I know he does...He won't be mad..."

Big George strolled into the room where the two women were..."So what did Dr. Walker say, little girl?"

Frances stood up and wiped away the tears from her eyes..."I'm pregnant, Pa..."

"Already?...Y'all sure have been busy! Do I need to have a talk with that husband of yours?..." He brought his daughter closer to him, and held her..."Eh? Do I?" He smiled down at her and gave her a wink.

Frances laughed..."Oh no, Pa..."

"How far along are you? Did Dr. Walker tell you yet?"

"Yes sir..." She looked down, ashamed...but then braced herself and looked up at her father. "Three months..."

"Congratulations..." He smiled down at his only daughter.

"But Pa...I." Frances said, wanting to confess.

"But nothing...This is a wonderful, happy occasion!" Big George hugged his daughter. "Have you told that rascal husband of yours yet?" He laughed.

"No..." Frances chuckled and smiled...She couldn't believe how well her parents were taking this...

"Why don't you go tell him now, huh?" He still had his arm around her...

"George Michael! Let the girl tell her husband on her own time!...Good Lord! Give her time for it to sink in herself!"

"Cool down...Grandma..." Big George smiled.

"Watch the name-calling, George..." Franziska glared at her husband.

"I'm only calling you by your rightful name!" Big George laughed.

"In six months it will be...Not until." She smiled..."Grandpa..."

Both Big George and Franziska started laughing...and Frances smiled as they both hugged her and told her how happy and excited they were for her.

**A/N: In this chapter, Dr. Walker, was actually a dentist, and I just used my little imagination and made him the town's doctor as well...but in real life, he was just a dentist, and none other than Walker Street is named for him. :) How cool! **


	28. Chapter 28

"You still haven't told him yet, Frances?" Her mother asked, who had stopped by at her daughter's place for a little visit a few weeks later.

"No Ma..." Frances stated. "I...I just don't know if I'm ready to tell him!...I'm scared."

"Don't be afraid, sweetheart. You can tell him...You have too! He's your husband and he needs to know this."

"And he's leaving with John for that delivery job next month..." Frances sighed.

Franziska chuckled. "Plus, you won't be able to hide your pregnancy from him any longer...You're coming up on your fourth month soon...I think you're already starting to show." She smiled at her daughter.

Frances looked down at her belly...Sure enough, she was...just a little. "Well, it isn't so hard for me, Ma...As thin as I am...Well...was." She laughed, looking down at her small belly and placed a gentle hand there...

"To think you're only going to get bigger..." Franziska laughed.

"Oh Ma...I don't want to think about that now!" Frances giggled, and both of them laughed together. They heard the back door open and in walked Fred. "Hey sweetheart..." He said, leaning down and giving her a kiss on the lips.

"You ready for lunch, yet?" Frances asked, getting up and setting plates down on the table. "I made smoked fish..."

"Hickory-smoked fish?" Fred asked, with a smile.

"Of course! Do you know me to prepare or eat fish any other way?...I love hickory-smoked fish, you know that!" She laughed. "You can stay and eat with us Ma, I made plenty!..."

"I believe I will..." Franziska smiled. _"Are you going to tell him now?" _She mouthed, when Fred had his back turned as he was going through Frances' sewing/sitting room and went through the room to go upstairs to their bedroom.

_"Later...After we eat..." _Frances mouthed back. Fred came back downstairs, wearing a different set of clothes this time. Brown trousers, and an olive green long-sleeved shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows... He took a seat at the table next to his mother-in-law as Frances was still getting things ready. She sat down at the table herself and all three of them bowed their heads as Fred prayed over the meal...

All three of them started on their hickory-smoked fish and Frances' homemade potato wedges with a homemade German honey-mustard sauce she made. She let them choose whether to put it on the fish, or dip the potato wedges in the honey-mustard sauce. Frances did both. Fred stared at her as she finished her second piece of fish and put a third one on her plate.

"What?" She asked, smiling.

"I've never seen you eat so much...You finally getting an appetite?...You usually eat like a bird!" He chuckled.

"There's a reason for that..." Franziska spoke up.

"Mother!" Frances glared at her.

There was a moment of silence as Fred watched Frances eat her next piece of fish and started to finish off her potato wedges...

"Are you going to tell me the reason...for your...unusual eating habits?..." Fred asked.

"They're not unusual...I'm just eating! I need food too, you know." She laughed. Frances glared at her mother so she wouldn't say anything. Frances dipped a potato wedge into the sauce, and took a bite of it.

"So what's the reason, honey?..." Fred asked.

"Please don't be mad at me..." Frances looked at him across the table.

"Why would I be mad?...Plus I won't know my reaction unless you tell me!" He laughed.

Frances took a breath and let it out..."I'm...pregnant...Fred." She said, almost unable to get the words out, for fear he might blow up at her...

"Pregnant..." Fred stated...

"Yes...Are you mad at me?" She said and felt a tear slide down her cheek. "I mean, I did the one thing I determined not to do...I..." She began, but Fred stood up and made his way over to her...

"You're pregnant..." He said again...but with a smile on his face.

"Yes." Frances stated again...

"Why in Heaven's name would I be mad about this?...Honey, you're pregnant!" Fred smiled widely.

Frances' eyebrows furrowed..."Ummm...I think we've established that fact already, sweetheart..."

"Frances! You're pregnant!...This is wonderful, honey!" Fred said, kneeling down in front of her and placed his hand on her small belly. Frances placed hers over his hand. "How far along are you?"

"Three months...Going on four..." She smiled, and tears started to fall. Happy tears this time...She was relieved she finally told him...and that he was happy. Fred covered her in dozens of slow kisses and she ran her fingers through his hair.

"A baby...You're going to have a baby!" Fred smiled and kissed her again. "We're going to be parents!...Gosh, I just can't believe it!" He said. Frances smiled at him.

"And why aren't you more excited "Grandma"?" Fred asked his mother-in-law.

Franziska smiled..."I knew already...Took her to Dr. Walker's two weeks ago. I knew something was up."

"And so that explains, months ago, you wanting tomatoes covered in salt...and now the fish!" Fred chuckled. "And the potato wedges!"

"My daughter?...Wanting TOMATOES? You hated them with a passion before! Now I KNOW you're pregnant!" Franziska laughed.

"Yes! I couldn't get enough of them! And they absolutely HAD to have salt on them!...I guess I can't get enough salty foods, hmmmm." Frances laughed.

"You need to watch that!" Franziska spoke up..."I don't want you over-indulging! Too much salt isn't good!"

"I will, Ma. I'll be careful, I promise...But I can't help it!...I just need it!"

"You need it...or you WANT it...There's a difference..." Franziska looked at her.

"Either her...or the baby does!" Fred joked, and kissed her cheek. Frances smiled up at him and he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Well, I can't leave for three months now!...I want to be with you! I don't want to miss three months of your first pregnancy!"

"Fred, how else besides the crops, of course, would we have money coming in?...We need the money even more now...Plus, John needs help...He can't do it all himself...And I'll be fine alone for awhile..." Frances smiled.

"And she really won't be alone, my wonderful son-in-law...She has her mother to help her thorugh..." Franziska smiled.

"Things are all falling into place, Fred!...What a wonderful blessing from the Lord!...For Him to work this out for us..." Frances smiled.

"Amen to that." Franziska said.

"You sure you'll be alright?" Fred asked, refraining his embrace from his four months pregnant, 18 year old wife.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me...You worry about yourself." Her arms still wrapped around his neck, and Frances started tearing up. "Heaven forbid...but you never know if something bad could happen..."

Fred kissed her and cupped her face with his hand. "I won't let it happen...John and I'll be careful." He said, getting into the buckboard with his brother-in-law.

"You better!" She smiled and called out to him. "Have fun...and be safe!"

"You bet your pretty face!" Fred called to her. "I'll be back in September!"

"I love you!" She yelled as the buckboard was rolling away and into the distance...

"I LOVE YOU TOO!" Frances heard him holler back.

Frances turned and walked back into the house...knowing she would be by herself for the next three months...

She was laying in bed all alone as usual later that month...She had been feeling much better...physically...and of course she was feeling better about the pregnancy. Yet, she couldn't get to sleep! Her heart rate had sped up...and since she was awake, all she could do was think about Fred...Where he was...What he was doing...If he was safe... She FINALLY tried to get to sleep, but she still couldn't. She still felt a funny sensation...like butterflies in her stomach. She knew she was just feeling the baby's movements already...Like her mother had told her...Frances knew she had nothing to worry about, it just felt funny and unusual to her...

"So our next stop is Burton, eh?" Fred asked, looking at the package they were to deliver. "Mr. Adam Kendall...Attorney at Law." Fred said, reading to whom the package was adressed to.

"Yep. He and his wife teach at a blind school and he also set up his practice as a lawyer there..." John said.

"Blind school?"

"Yeah...I guess she's blind. He was too, but got his sight back...I've delivered packages and boxes to them before...Really nice people...Mary's the prettiest thing you ever did see...Blond hair...blue eyes...To bad she's married though..."

"John!..." Fred laughed.

"What?...I can't resist a beautiful woman! So sue me!"

Fred laughed..."Good thing this Adam Kendall guy's a lawyer!"

"Smart ass..." John chuckled at his brother-in-law.

"Oh, what language, Johnny boy!" He laughed.

"Shut up...I'm only three years younger than you are..." John smirked.

They arrived at the blind school and knocked on the door...

"Hello?...Who is it?" A young blond woman opened the door.

"John Gruber...I'm sure you remember me, ma'am,...there's a package for your husband."

"Oh thank you, John...I'll take it." Mary said, inviting them in...

"No you won't, ma'am. Can't stand to see a woman carry heavy things...Just the way I am..."

"Oh...I didn't realize anyone else was with you, John..."

"My brother-in-law, Mrs. Kendall..." John said, adressing to her that that was who was along with him...Mary thought the man's voice sounded vaguely familiar...

"And your name?" She smiled, and looked at him through sightless eyes...

"Fred J. Lay...Please to meet you Mrs. Kendall..."

_"Fred Lay!...It's got to be him...I'd know that voice anywhere..." _Mary smiled. "Do you remember me, Fred?"

"Ummmm...No...I don't believe we've met, except for today, of course...I'm sorry."

"Fred John Lay...Its me, Mary Ingalls..."

"Mary Ingalls...Well, I'll be!" Fred smiled widely and hugged her... "Is it really you?"

"Sure is...Well, I'm Mary Ingalls Kendall now..." She smiled and then chuckled..."And I don't think your wife would like it if she knew you just hugged me, Fred..."

"Oh my wife!" He smiled..."No she wouldn't!" They both laughed. "I'd sure be in some deep hot water with her!"

"Tell me about her...about everything please, you stopped writing me when you got settled in New Jersey. Thought I could get back in touch with you...but never did."

"I'm sorry...Life just caught up with me...Oh Frances is just wonderful, Mary!...She's beautiful! Auburn hair...and the look of those twinlking brown eyes of hers just make me fall in love with her even more every day!...She's got a fiesty, stubborn side...but I sure love it...Makes life interesting." Fred smiled..."She told me in June she's expecting our first baby in December..."

"Congratulations!...You're excited, I'm sure..." Mary smiled.

"Tremendously..."

A month had passed and it was August. Frances, while being five months pregnant at the time, was working hard to get her garden watered on this hot summer day...She had a yoke with a water bucket on each end. Frances was watering her garden and about the third trip to the well, she set the buckets down and leaned on the well to rest awhile...Her small pink blouse with tiny burgundy- colored roses on it was almost soaked because she was sweating so much...

"My word...Its boiling out here!" She panted, wiping her forehead with her handkercheif, dabbed at her neck and the rest of her face..."Good thing I stopped by the well..." Frances was talking to herself as she took a ladel and dipped it into the water and took a a few long drinks of cold water, and she also dabbed water on her face and neck...She rested there awhile and then gazed out at the fields...

Frances sighed..."Well...they won't plow themselves. Will they?" She went out to the barn and hitched up the work horses to the plow and still dressed in her rose print blouse and long, full, burgundy skirt...She set out to work...

George Jr. and Joe Gruber, along with Joe's fiance, Nona Schmidt...were walking up the road to Frances' place.

Joe stopped dead in his tracks and gazed out into the fields..."George...Look!"

"Oh my God...It's Frances! What the Hell does she think she's doing?...Working at all on a hot day like this!"

"She's five months pregnant and she's WORKING as a hard as you or I, George!...My God, she's stubborn."

"Both you and I figured out how stubborn she is YEARS ago!...But this is damn ridiculous!"

"Why are we just STANDING here?...Joe, we need to get over there...I don't think she's looking so good!" Nona said, touching his arm. They saw Frances almost stumble and she stopped and leaned against the plow, breathing hard...and still sweating.

George Jr., Joe and Nona ran over there as fast as they possibly could...

"Frances Katherine Gruber Lay...What the Hell do you thinking you're doing!" George Jr. bellered. He was furious with his little sister.

"What does it LOOK like I'm doing? I'm working!...Plowing my and my husband's land!"

"You shouldn't be out working like this!"

"Shut up, George!...Its my responsiblity! Fred isn't here!...How else will we get the crops in?"

"Have you not noticed that its the middle of summer...and you're five months pregnant and you're out working in this heat?" He yelled..."You can't be doing this, Frances! You've got that baby to think of!"

"Gosh, no I didn't!" Frances said sarcastically. "Thanks for reminding me!...Of course I noticed, stupid!" She began to move the plow again.

"Stop!...You can't be out working like this! You could harm the baby, Frances." Joe stopped her..."We'll take over now..."

"No you won't! I was doing...just fine...by...myself!" She panted...

"Nona...Get her in the house...Now." George demanded and took the plow from his sister.

Joe and Nona grabbed her by each arm and guided her back to the house...Frances didn't put up a fight, for exhaustion was now setting in...They walked her through the kitchen and into her sewing/sitting room and let her sit down in her rocking chair by the open window.

"Nona! Go get her some water!" Joe told her and Nona sprinted outside to the well and darted back into the house with a glass of cold water.

"Your brother's are right, Frances...Working out there like you were...You could really harm that baby!"

"If anyone else tells me that one more time, I will hurt them!" Frances growled.

"You need to be more careful...Rest now...and let George and I take care of the work..."

Frances glared at him...

"Frances...Let us help you...We're men and we can handle it...And I'm not having my little sister harm herself OR her unborn child!"

"Fine..." She said through clenched teeth, and was still glaring at him.

Joe laughed..."There are sometimes I still can't get over your fiestyness! You're so stubborn and bull-headed! I don't know how Fred can stand it!"

"He won't like it if he knows you were out there working like that." Nona said.

"Ma and Pa, too..." Joe said..."They'll have a fit!"

"Well, you better not tell them!...And I'm not the only fiesty woman in this family! Ma is too!...I inherited it all from her..."

"Yeah, and your temperment matches your hair color!" Joe laughed, mentioning the fact of Frances' wavy reddish-brown locks.

"Never make a redhead mad at you, Joe..." Nona said, jokingly.

"Or in this case, a semi-redhead!" Joe laughed.

"Oh shut up, you two..." Frances grumbled, but then all three of them started laughing...

"There she is right there..." George said, coming into the room with an older man.

"George! I'm fine!...You didn't need to bring Dr. Walker in for a house call!"

"Nonsense!...I'm not taking a risk! I want to make sure my little sister and that baby is okay!...Dr. Walker...She's all yours..." George said and walked out of the room...Joe followed him. Nona Schmidt stayed in the room with Frances and the doctor.

"Dr. Walker, you didn't need to come...My oldest brother's a _worry wart_!" Frances said, loud enough so she hoped he would hear.

"Now you just calm your fiesty self down!" He said, getting out his stethoscpe..."You're in due time for a check-up I think, young lady..." He placed the medical instrument on her pregnant belly, moving it around, he listened to see if he could hear the baby's heartbeat still...He could...It was like nothing had happened at all..."The baby's just fine..." He smiled. "Now for the Ma-to-be..." He took out several medical instruments and examined her...Her blood pressure had spiked a bit, but other than that, she was fine..."You just need to calm down...Rest...Don't work too hard!...Let your brothers do you a favor. Have them do the work for you...Like they want to..."

Frances glared and crossed her arms..."I still say I can do it myself...I can rest every now and again..."

"Doctor's orders, young lady...No strenuous activity."

"Yes sir, Dr. Walker..." She said at last, but not liking it one bit.

"I shall see you again for another checkup in a few months or so, Mrs. Lay." He said, and turned to leave...

"Wait, what do I owe you, Dr. Walker?"

"Nothing...Your brothers George and Joe already paid for it..." Dr. Walker said and walked out the door...


	29. Chapter 29

Frances was sitting in her rocking chair for a little rest, enjoying a hot, but pleasant August day. Her abdomen was feeling a little itchy and achy, but Dr. Walker told her it was just the stretching ligaments. She couldn't wrap her head around all the symptoms she was experiencing, but yet it was interesting to her...what was going on with her body. There were days the symptoms annoyed her...what with the itchy stomach, the dizziness, the leg cramps and swelling ankles and feet...and the slight clumsiness she was experiencing. And yet being pregnant really showed her how wonderful and good God really is, and how powerful He is...Just the thought of another person growing a little every day within her showed her that. To think God designed that and planned that and made that come to be!...It excited her and she couldn't wait till she and her husband finally met this baby face to face.

Frances sat there enjoying the view outside, and she felt the baby kicking. She had been feeling the little flutters and thumps and jabs quite regularly now.

"Looks like you're more active today, huh Baby?" She laughed, placing a hand on her belly. "I wish Fred was here to experience this with me." Frances sighed. She felt the baby kick a little harder.

She laughed and ran a hand over her belly..."Do you want your Pa home too?...Lets hope he comes home soon. Should be in the next week." Frances smiled. _"I sure do miss him...I've been so lonely without him..."_ She heard wagon wheels coming up the road and her head snapped in attention up the road aways. "It's him!...He's home! He's home early!...I can't believe it!" She said excitedly and ran out to meet him. "Fred!" She ran into his arms and nearly started bawling. "Oh Fred, I've missed you!...I've missed you so, so so much!...I know it seems silly, but to me, three months seemed like an aweful, aweful long time!" She said, with tears now streaming down her cheeks. Frances covered his face and lips with dozens and dozens of kisses.

"I know...I know. It was for me too. I missed you!" Fred smiled. "Gosh, I'd pick you up and spin you around...but I don't think that'd be the thing to do..." He laughed.

"I don't think you could!...Just look at me!" Frances laughed. "I'm putting on more weight because of the baby!"

"I think you've gotten even more beautiful since the last time I saw you...Goodness, gracious! Look at you!" He kissed her and ran his fingers through her hair, since she had it down as it was. "Your hair's changed! Its thicker...Gosh, I think it's even more beautiful than it was before..." He smiled.

"Pregnancy does that...You'll find out that a lot of me has changed in the last three months..." She smiled. "C'mon inside. I'll make an early supper and we can spend the rest of the day together...You can tell me all about your trip..."

Frances fixed up a hearty supper of thick slices of fried ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, and homemade biscuits. She set down two glasses of milk and was about to sit down herself...

"There he goes again!" She laughed, placing her hands on her belly.

"Who goes?" Fred grinned.

"This..." She said, and walked over, grabbed his hands and placed them on her six months pregnant belly. "Can't you feel it? The baby kicking?" Frances beamed at him.

"Fiesty little thing, isn't she?" Fred smiled. "Just like her Ma..."

"How do you know its a girl?

"Well, I don't!" Fred laughed..."And how do you know its a boy?"

"Come again?" Frances laughed.

"You said 'he'..." Fred smiled.

"When?"

"Just now..."

"I did not!" Frances laughed.

"Yes...You did, honey." Fred smiled.

"Oh, shut up..." She laughed and sat back down at the table next to him.

"Do you want a boy?" Fred asked her, smiling.

"Well, I don't know...Do YOU want a girl?" Frances asked, giggling at her husband.

"Whatever God wants to give us is fine with me." Fred smiled.

"Me too." Frances smiled, leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

"Twins even?" Fred smirked.

"Now, I don't know about that one!" Frances laughed.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" Fred asked.

"Not really...Well, of course if its a boy he'll have your first name. The firstborn son always does..." She smiled. "but I want the middle name to be different..."

"And if its a girl?"

"There you go again!" Frances laughed.

"I didn't! I'm just saying, IF its a girl..." He smiled.

"Well, I don't know, honey...When I was younger, all the girls would pick names for what they want to name their children someday...We'd make a little game out of it...and I could never pick a girl's name! And I figured, why bother because I'd probably change my mind when the time did come!" Frances laughed. "IF we have a girl, I'm sure I'll think of something..." She smiled.

"Just be thinking of some..."

"I will..." Frances smiled. "And you can help me with that project too, you know!" She laughed. "This is your baby too!"

"I will too..." He smiled, but then he started chuckling...

"What?"

"Here we are...married and expecting our first baby...And just two years ago, we first met just a few steps away from this house on Peru Road,...to think I'd be married to the girl who snubbed me!"

Frances laughed and layed a slender hand on top of his..."To this day, I still think when I didn't answer you, I thought you thought I was deaf or retarded...or maybe both!" She smiled.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek..."But I didn't...Did I?"

Frances looked into those wonderful gray-blue eyes of his and smiled..."No, you didn't..." She raised an eyebrow and smiled at him..."Was it love at first sight, Mr. Lay?...Hmmmm?"

"You bet it was..." He smiled. "At first, I just wanted to be polite, so I said hello...but then I got a closer look at you, and saw you were the prettiest thing I ever saw! Thought I laid eyes on a beautiful angel...And I did...You're my angel."

"Awwww Fred..." Frances blushed.

"Its all true too..." He smiled. "In my book anyway." Fred leaned and gave her a passionate kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too, Fred John..." Frances smiled. "Now...tell me about your trip!"

"It went well...John and I travelled all over Iowa...And just guess who I met in Burton?"

"Who?"

"The young lady I was married to for 5 mintues or so...Mary Amelia Ingalls..."

"Oh, did you?..."

"Yes...Hugged her too...Sorry, hon..." He smiled weakly.

Frances laughed. "Well, you little cheater!" She teased. "With your loving wife...at home alone for three months. And with child!"

"I'm sorry, honey..." Fred said smiling, putting his arm around her and kissed her cheek.

"Oh, you know I'm just teasing you!" Frances laughed, and gently patted his cheek. He leaned in a gave her a kiss on the lips and she deepened it.

She layed her head on his chest as his arms gently wrapped around her. "I missed you so much...Nights were the worst. I felt so lonely!" Frances said, burying her face in his chest. Tears started to fall...maybe it was the pregnancy hormones in full swing or maybe because how much she really had missed him, but otherwise, Frances couldn't help it.

"You don't have to be lonely anymore...I'm here." He whispered. "C'mon...Let's get upstairs..." He flashed a smile and a slight eyebrows raise at her.

"I'll get the dishes then..." She said, getting up and gathering their plates and sliverware.

"Let God do them..." Fred smiled, and took them and set them outside on the ledge. It was pouring down rain now.

"Fred..." She glared in his direction, but then broke into a smile.

Fred walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly let his hands gently fall on the sides of her belly. He kissed her slowly, and soon laced his fingers with hers..."I'll head upstairs and get ready then..." Frances smiled, and went into the next few rooms, and walked up the stairs, with Fred following behind her.

Frances had her nightgown layed out on the bed already, so she sat down on their bed and began to unbutton her tan blouse and slide off her brown skirt...She was very self-concious about her own body now. Her body had changed a lot since the last time Fred saw her and she wondered how he would react tonight. Frances figured she wouldn't know until she tried, so she slid off her petticoats and took off her chemise and lay there in bed, naked, but partially covered by a quilt...

"Why the modesty, hmmm?" Fred smiled, as he was stripping himself of his clothing in front of her. "Frances?" He asked, while noticing tears were forming in her eyes. "Honey, what's the matter?..."

"Because I'm nervous, Fred...Afraid...of what you'll think of my body now..."

"I'll love your body no matter what shape its in...Pregnant or not pregnant."

"How do you know that?...And why would you? Don't lie to me, I know its important to you..."

"Hey now...Stop that...I love you, because you're my wife...And do you remember what you said to me the night this baby was started? Hmmm?...Looks don't matter as much, its how you feel that's the most important...And honey, you make me feel loved...You encourage me...you laugh with me! You laugh at my jokes...even though some of them aren't funny!" He laughed...but then got quiet and gazed into her lovely deep brown eyes..."You were my very first and only real lover, you're now my wife...and you've always been my best friend." Fred smiled.

Frances smiled and was about ready to cry again. "Happiness is being married to your best friend."

"Ready to have sex with your best friend?" Fred smiled. Side by side, facing one another, they began...Sure it was different. Hard for them to get in a comfortable enough position, they tried a few different ones...and Fred was a little bit nervous if he would harm the baby in any way...but they had yet another slow, romantic, passionate night together.

"Fred...Fred...Are you awake?" Frances whispered later that night. "Fred!" She said, rubbing his arm...

"Mmmmmhhm..." Fred moaned.

"Honey..."

"What Frances?"

"Could we make some popcorn?"

"Now?" Fred asked.

"Please! I've had such a craving for popcorn lately!...Oh glory...popcorn with lots of salt and tons of melted butter! Yum!"

"I'll make it, but don't get too excited. I'm reaaaally tired...and besides...you're a better cook than I..." Fred replied, got up out of bed and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Frances sat there and stifled a little laugh and waited for him until he returned with a large bowl of freshly popped popcorn...

"Thanks, honey..." Frances said, and kissed him.

"Eat at your own risk..." Fred muttered and got back under the covers.

Frances started eating the bowl of popcorn, one kernel at a time..."Oh glory! Thank you so much, honey!...It's wonderful!" The popcorn tasted so good to her, she thought she had died and went to Heaven! "I love you!"

"Pregnant women!" He muttered and rolled over on his side. Much later, he rolled back over, and was face to face with nothing other than the popcorn bowl. Fred tipped it and looked inside. "She ate the whole bowl of popcorn..." Fred moaned, glanced and saw that his wife was fast asleep. With that, he put the empty bowl of popcorn on the little end table by the bed, rolled over and went to sleep himself.


	30. Chapter 30

Frances' seventh month of pregnancy came...She was 'plagued' with a few backaches here and there, and there were nights where she couldn't sleep a wink! She had been having bad heartburn...and sometimes the baby obviously didn't know if it was the daytime or nightime, because the little stinker would be up, kicking her like crazy!

"Ohhh!" Frances moaned. "Why? Why there?"

"Hmmm..." Fred mumbled. "What happened?" He said, now waking up a little.

"The baby found a spot where he just LOVES to kick me! The ribs!"

"I'm sorry, honey..."

"Its allright, what can you do about it anyway?...Nothing! That's what!" Frances tried shifting positions a little. "I couldn't get to sleep anyway...It wasn't just the baby...I just can't sleep..."

"Well, we're both up now..." Fred smiled, and put his arm around her. "Wanna talk?"

"Talk...or..._._Do you want a little sex?...Hmmm?" Frances said, raising an eyebrow.

"Talk!...A conversation! The thing where your lips move and sound and words and sentences come out!" Fred laughed, and rubbed her arm. "Thought of any names for the baby?"

"I thought of a girl's name. Rose...I really like it...But for a middle name. Not a first name."

"Franziska Rose...I like that." Fred suggested.

"No! No way! I am NOT naming this baby Franziska!"

"Oh honey, it would be so great! Grandmother, mother and granddaughter would all be named Franziska!...What a nice tradition!" He smiled.

"NO!...Its way too long of a name! She'd get teased by saying she has every letter of the stinkin' alphabet in her name! I should know!...I was..."

"Its such a beautiful name!"

"No! No!...And a thousand times no!...How about we save the name for future generations!" She said at last and laughed. "We don't even know if we're having a girl...it could be a boy, you know..."

"You just want one..." Fred grinned.

"And what's wrong with that?...Besides, I have a feeling it is a boy..."

" I figured...You keep calling it a 'he.'" Fred smiled.

"I can't stand calling the baby an it!"

"Then just call the baby...Baby." He laughed, and looked over at her to which he saw a look like "_I have been_!" from her in the moonlight..."Have you thought of a boy's middle name yet?...Since he'll have my first name..."

"No...I can't think of any that sounds right..." Frances sighed.

"See...you can't pick a boy name...Shows we'll have a girl!"

"No it doesn't...It just means I can't think of a name..." Frances rolled her eyes at him and gave him a friendly shove.

Frances liked to take walks now that it was autumn. She and her new friend Helen Clark Spencer, a newly married young woman about Frances' age would walk into town together almost everyday.

"How've you been feeling lately?" Helen asked.

"Oh allright...I've had better days..." Frances chuckled. "I've had some trouble sleeping some...Baby's kept me awake lately. And what with the constant kicking at my ribs, I've been so sore...Can't wait till this baby finally drops!...I'm finding it hard to BREATHE sometimes!"

"You want to go stop at my Grandfather's office? I'm sure he wouldn't mind checking you over...Its his job!"

"No, that's all right, Helen...My next checkup is later on in the month...I'll see him then."

"Grandfather's teaching me little things here and there...I'm his nurse. My Pa's a doc too...He and Grandfather work alongside each other...You know my Ma's a midwife. She's been teaching me too...I've been a "midwife-in-training" since I was about 14 years old. Will come in handy...once Ross and I finally decide to have one of our own...How pathetic is that? I'm 20 years old, two years older than you, and I STILL haven't had sex with my own husband!"

"Not even on your wedding night?"

"No...Ross just wanted a nice, quiet evening together...He just wanted to go...home." Helen smiled. "We've been married only a week, and he hasn't even wanted sex yet! Its driving me crazy!...I WANT it!"

"I know you'll roll your eyes at me, Helen...but it isn't all its cracked up to be..."

"Oh, I'm sure you enjoyed it 7 months ago!" She grinned at her...

"Oh, don't get me wrong...being with Fred is great...He's wonderful...it just feels different now."

"And that's because?"

"I'll be very honest with you...I made a mistake and I had sex with Fred...a month before we were even married. I fell into my weakness and I justified it by saying he loved me...which I know now, and I knew then that he does...Just do me a favor, Helen...Just wait! Make sure you're ready!...Not that I wasn't...I just..."

Helen stared at her younger, pregnant friend.

"Oh, don't get me wrong Helen,...I'm very excited and very thrilled about this baby...I just wish sometimes, that I hadn't done it so soon...I wish I would've waited awhile."

"Do you think that it doesn't feel the same...because you and Fred...didn't wait?" Helen asked. "I'm not judging, I'm just asking a question..."

"That's most likely true...and I've done a lot of growing up because of it...Just do me a favor and wait...It'll be worth it if you do."

Helen changed the subject, she was beginning to get annoyed. "My Ma says she wants me to be there when you deliver your baby...To help her with things...keep you calm...That sort of thing."

"That would be great Helen!...I'd feel safer knowing that a friend will be there with me..." Frances smiled. "You know what, Helen...let's head up to Dr. Walker's after all...Not for a checkup. Just a walk up and back down the hill. Your grandfather says walking is good exercise for me!" Frances smiled.

"Just don't wear yourself out..."

"I wont!...My word, you're as bad as Fred!" Frances laughed. "I'll rest if I need too, I promise!"

They walked all the way up Walker Street until they reached the very top. Frances sat down on Dr. Walker's front steps for a little rest.

"Are you sure you're all right, Frances?...You look really winded...We can go in if we need to...just to see if you're okay."

"Helen, I'm fine...I just need to rest...awhile and then...we can be...on our way..." She panted, trying to catch her breath. "This baby takes a lot out of me!" She laughed. "I may need a nap when I get home!"

A young lady walked out of Dr. Walker's office.

"Well isn't it the newest Mrs. Gruber!...How are you, Nona?" Frances smiled at her sister-in-law.

"Wonderful, Frances!...These past two months have been wonderful! Joe is the sweetest." Nona smiled.

"My stars, I think I'm going to faint!" Frances laughed. "Joseph Leo? MY brother? Sweet?...Oh, I'm just kidding! He had his good moments...sometimes..."

"How've you been feeling lately, Frances?" Nona asked, politely.

"BIG..." Frances chuckled. "I feel big...And getting bigger!"

"Well, its October...Only two more months to go!" Nona smiled. "Are you coming to the church Harvest Party tonight?"

"You bet'cha!" Frances smiled. "Wouldn't miss it!...Unless this baby comes today!" She joked.

"Well, there's probably no chance of that happening..." Helen said.

"Are y'all about to head on home? I'll join if you don't mind!" Nona smiled.

"The more the merrier!...Umm...can I have a little helping hand?" Frances giggled. "I need help getting up."

"Sure...Easy now." Nona said, helping her stand upright. They set out back down the long hill, talking all the way there.

"So how has married life been treating you, Helen?...And why aren't you with Ross right now?...You think you would be!" Nona grinned.

"Ha!...Ross doesn't want sex this soon...He doesn't want children right away..."

Nona chuckled. "You know...there are means of protection these days...Joe and I have before..."

"No...He wants it to be natural...Like it should be. Putting a thing made of animal skin on his...nevermind!" She said quickly and in a high pitch..."He wouldn't do that anyway. Its too strange..."

Both Frances and Nona started laughing.

"What?"

"Just the way you said that!" Frances laughed. "On his...nevermind!" Nona and Frances busted up laughing again.

"What?...I'm a lady!" Helen said, smoothing her dress and standing up straighter.

"I guess we're not then!" Nona laughed. "When its just us women...We don't really care how we say it!"

Frances was still laughing her fool head off! "Speaking of not being much of a lady, I better make it to an outhouse...and quick! I've gotta pee like a stinkin' horse!"

"Frances!" Helen gasped. "I can't believe you just said that!"

"What? I really HAVE to go! I can't help it!" Frances said to her and walked off down to the outhouse outside the doc's office. "I blame the baby!" She laughed.

"Who has my golden arm?...Give me back my golden arm!...GIVE ME BACK MY GOOOOLLDEN ARMMM...I GOT IT!" Joe Gruber grabbed one of the kids' arms, to which the little girl screamed! Others did too...some with smiles on their faces...and otherwise... They were at the Harvest Party, around a camp fire telling ghost stories.

"Oh, that was a scary one, Joe!..." Nona exclaimed, and layed her head on his shoulder, her hands wrapped on his strong arm.

"George, tell the one about the town drunk!" John said...

"Okay...This one's creepy, but funny!..." And George Jr. began. "One dark, windy night, the town drunk was meandering his way home after the bar closed. Somehow he got turned around and ended up walking through the churchyard instead of taking the road home.

The wind picked up and he thought he could hear a voice calling his name. Suddenly, the ground opened up in front of him, and he fell down, down into an open grave! He could hear the voice clearer now, calling to him. He knew it was the devil, coming for him just like the preacher said, on account of him being the town drunk.

The hole was very deep and inside it was pitch black. His eyes adjusted to the darkness after a few moments, and he made out a form sitting in the darkness with him. It called his name, and he scrambled away in fear, trying to climb out of that terrible grave. Then the figure spoke. "You can't get out," it said.

The drunk gave a shout of pure terror and leapt straight up more than six feet. He caught the edge of the hole in his hands, scrambled out, and ran for home as fast as he could go!

Inside the open grave, his neighbor Charlie sighed in resignation. He'd fallen into the hole a few minutes before his friend and had thought that together they might help each other climb out. Now he was going to have to wait until morning and get the mortician to bring him a ladder." All the kids laughed at that one! "John...Its your turn now..." George urged him.

"Nah...I'm not much for telling ghost stories..."

"OH c'mon, Mr. Gruber!" One of the kids, named Conrad said.

"Nah...I'll...I'll let Frances tell one...Tell the one about the forest in Germany!"

"All right, but if these little ones get too scared to go to sleep tonight, its your fault!" Frances said. "Well...they say that there's this haunted forest in Bavaria, Germany...At night...Its dark...cold...spooky...when you first walk into the forest...you feel...someone...or...something...jump on your back...and it feels like a large, heavy weight on your back. It stays with you the whole time you walk through the forest...and then!" Frances said sharply, looking around at the children...the fire's glow giving her an erie complexion. "...just as you leave the forest you hear a shrill, ghostly voice, "Naaaamon!...Naaaaamonnn!" Frances immitated the voice. "Namon, Weeeeeee!" Frances yelled, which made a little boy fall off the log he was sitting on, to which all the kids laughed!

"It isn't funny! I fell on a stick!" The little boy said, getting up and rubbing his back.

"You all right?" She asked him.

"Yeah, Mrs. Lay...Go on!"

All right, where was I?...Oh yeah!...And then...whatever was on your back jumps off in a split second and the heavy feeling you felt on your back is then gone! Some say...it is an evil ghost...making sure you don't disrrupt anything in HIS forest!...Others say...it is a friendly ghost, and wants to make sure you get through the forest okay..."

"And the truth?" One of the older girls asked.

"No one...knows...for sure..." Frances said, her brown eyes narrowed.


	31. Chapter 31

"Frances! I'm home early!" Fred said, walking through the front door one November afternoon..."Honey?"

Fred saw his eight months pregnant, 18 year old wife, crying in her rocking chair. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"I took a walk into town today...And...and...the widow, Mrs. Carlson...She..." Frances said, with tears sliding down her cheeks.

"She what?" Fred asked.

"She said I look like a watermelon on a toothpick!" Frances wailed..."I laughed it off and said that's how I feel now sometimes...but it really hurt my feelings!"

"Its all right..." Fred said, wrapping her up into an embrace.

"No,...no its not all right, Fred!...These are the times where I hate being pregnant!...My legs cramp up! My feet and ankles are swollen!...And WHY are they swollen?...Because I craved salt! Why did I crave salt? Because my body needed it...WHY did I need it?...Because I'm pregnant! And WHY am I pregnant?...Because YOU couldn't keep that thing in your trousers!"

"It wasn't JUST me...It takes two people, you know..."

"Of course I know!..." She yelled. "Because I was a wild, fiesty, sex-crazed, 17 year old girl who just wanted one special night with her 25 year old fiance!...I'm bad and rotten and immoral...and I don't want any of our children to make the same mistake we did!" She sat there sobbing onto Fred's shoulder. "I'm sooooo hoooorrible!" She wailed after minutes of sobbing..."George or John never made this mistake! And look at Joe and Nona! They did it right! Look how happy they are!...I'm the bad seed!...I'm the black sheep of the family!" Frances sobbed. "Look up the word 'immoral' in the dictionary and there's my name as plain as the nose on your face! Frances Gruber Lay!...I'm the immoral woman from Proverbs 7!" She wailed.

"Möchten Sie die Klappe?" Fred yelled "Would you shut up?" in German at her. "According to me...you're NONE of those things! That night, Frances, you wanted me...and I wanted you! You made me feel so good about myself! I was encouraged...and even to this day I still don't see in me what you see in me!...Sweetheart, we're married now, we love each other...THAT's all that matters!"

"Have you been talking to my mother?" Frances asked, sniffing. She dried her tears that stained her cheeks with a handkercheif. "And what about when folks ask how long we've been married and then they see how pregnant I am!...I'm out to here, Fred!..." She said, looking down at herself, gesturing how big she was...and then she looked back up at her husband's face..."Or in the future when they ask how old this child is!...You KNOW what they're going to think of us!"

"Who the Hell cares? Let them think what they want to! Its none of their business anyway!...And I'll have you know, we aren't the only ones! It happens a lot Frances! More than you think! Sometimes with folks even younger than us!...Now stop it...All this yelling and stress and carryin' on isn't good for you OR the baby!...You're beating yourself up over this and I won't have it!"

"Fine..." Frances sighed.

"C'mon. How about we talk a little walk into town...together."

"I'll go get my shawl." She said, getting up from the rocking chair.

A train was pulling into the Dubuque station...amongst its passengers were a young 26 year old woman...and her daughter, a cute, baby-faced, dark-haired 10 year old little girl.

"I just can't wait to see him, Ma!...I wonder what he's like?" The little girl said, swinging her feet, as they didn't reach the floor. She was a little short for her age.

"Mary Jane...Stop that, please."

"Yes Ma..." Mary Jane said and stopped swinging her feet...Her hands folded neatly in her lap.

We're here...Dubuque County, IA." She sighed.

"Yippeee!...I can't wait to see him!" Mary Jane clapped her hands excitedly.

"Just let me grab our things and we'll set out...but don't go anywhere without me!" Her mother said, as she saw her daughter jump off the train. "Mary Jane, you stay right there where you are! You hear me?"

"Yes Ma!" Came the reply.

Fred and Frances had seen the train stop, so with all the other people, they waited to see the train in, and were going to continue their little walk through town afterward.

"Excuse me...but I'm trying to locate the Gruber family..." The young lady said to the one of the conductors.

"Well, you're in luck!...That lady right over there was a Gruber!"

"Thank you..." She said, and turned to her daughter. "Mary Jane. Stay right here...I'll be right back..." She said, taking a deep breath and headed on over to speak with Fred and Frances.

"Hello Ma'am..." The woman said, addressing Frances..."I'm...Melania Loney. I believe I courted your older brother George when we were 16. You were only 8 years old then...I don't even know if you remember me!..." She smiled.

"Melania Mary Agnes Loney!...Not remember you?...Of course I do!...My goodness, we had some fun times! I looked up to you so much!"

"We did have some fun times, didn't we, Frances?" Melania smiled. "Umm...how is George?"

"Just fine...Oh, he'll want to see you!...C'mon, we'll head on back to our place...My parents place, where George is living, is just up the road from there...This is my husband, Fred Lay, by the way..." Frances smiled up at him as Fred extended his hand to the lady.

"Well, we best be going...Can't let you stand for long...in your condition." Melania said, noticing the fact that Frances was VERY pregnant. "Congratualations, by the way...When are you due?"

"Next month." Frances smiled.

"Just let me get Mary Jane and we can be on our way..." The woman smiled and left momentarily to find the ten year old.

"Mary Jane!..." She exclaimed as she saw the girl, FIST FIGHTING, with a boy her own age, it looked like. "Stop it, Mary Jane!..." Melania shouted, pulling her away from the boy..."What do you think you're doing? Fighting with a boy!"

"He hit me first!" Mary Jane screamed. "He started it!"

"I don't care, I'm finishing it!..." Melania Loney said, _"Good Lord, WHERE does she get this fiesty attitude of hers?...Where?"_

"My word...It sure has been awhile, Melania!" Franziska said, sitting at the kitchen table with her. "Ten whole years!...I remember you were the sweetest girl ever! It surely broke our hearts when you left for California years ago!...What brings you to Dubuque, sweetheart?"

"My daughter...She wanted to see where her Ma grew up." Melania half-lied. "Been dying to move back here...Mary Jane and I are both so tired of California..." That was the truth. They were planning to move back this month.

"Land sakes, I can't believe you're a mother already!...Then again, I myself can't believe I'm going to be a grandmother next month!" Franziska smiled at her daughter, who beamed a smile back at her.

"Such a beautiful and sweet little girl, like her Ma, I'm sure..." Franziska smiled. "She looks like you." She said, glancing out the window at the girl running around outside, with Fred there to keep her occupied.

"She looks like her Pa too...Has his eyes." Melania stated. "That's another reason why I'm here...I have something to confess..."

"You can tell us anything, Melania..."

"I don't know how you're going to take this...but I'll just come right out and say it... My daughter is Mary Jane...Gruber...George is her father..." Melania choked out the words and put her head down, ashamed to look at them. She braced herself...and looked up at George Jr..."I'm sorry I've kept this from you all these years...When I found out I was pregnant, I was so afraid of what you would think...Of what your folks would say...What MY folks would say...So that's why I left and fled to California...I'm sorry." She said as tears began to spill from her eyes. "I'm so sorry I kept this from you! I was so ashamed at what I did and I was scared and I just didn't know what you would think..."

"I just thought you didn't want someone like me...and that's why you left." George Jr. said.

"George...That wasn't it at all." Melania started weeping again..."I loved you, I promise you I did!...I just didn't know what to do!"

"We would've worked things out...I know I would've been understanding..."

"I'm sorry...I was terrified, George!"

"We understand, child." Franziska layed a hand on Melania's.

"I just can't believe I'm...a father." George said...but then a slight smile crept across his face.

"I know..." Melania smiled...Wiping away a few tears. "She begged and begged and begged me to make this trip...She wanted to meet you...She kept wondering about you...and why her last name was...different...from mine." She said, and felt tears well up in her blue eyes again..."She just kept it up until I said, "Okay, let's go!" She laughed, sniffling and dabbing tears from her tearducts with a tip of a finger.

Mary Jane ran through the door and into her mother's arms...

"Mary Jane...I told you not to run...If you don't do it at our house, then you don't do it here..."

"Yes Ma...I'm sorry."

"Tell Mrs. Gruber that please..."

The ten year old's brown eyes looked up at the older woman. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Gruber."

"That's all right, sweetheart." Franziska smiled. "You just listen to your Ma from now on."

"Mary Jane...I'd like you to finally meet...your father...George Michael Gruber Jr."

The young girl, without hesitation, went to Little George and wrapped her arms around the stocky young man..."I'm glad to meet you...Pa." Mary Jane whispered. "I nagged the fire out of Ma to bring me here..." She laughed. "I wanted so VERY much to meet you!" Mary Jane squeezed him gently. She looked up and noticed tears were seeping out of his eyes. "Don't cry Pa...I love you."

George Jr. planted a kiss on her forehead..."I just can't believe it...My daughter. You seem so grown up for your age!" He smiled at his 'new' daughter.

Big George, through all of this, was silent. He was a man of few words as it was. He listened. He was a thinker...and thought things through before he did or said them.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Mr. Gruber...I understand if you're mad at me...I never planned this to happen..."

Big George shrugged and said in German, "Big Deal haarigen Arsch ... Meine Enkelin ein uneheliches Kind! ... Es macht keinen Unterschied für mich in keiner Weise...Sie ist immer noch meine Enkelin!... Und junge Dame, ich nehme Sie als wenn Sie meine eigene zu...Schlicht und einfach." In English, it meant..."Big hairy ass deal...My granddaughter's an illegitimate child!...It makes no difference to me in any way...She's still my granddaughter!...And young lady, I'm taking you in as if you were my own too...Plain and simple."

"What is Grandpa saying, Ma?" Mary Jane asked, wide-eyed. Everyone else knew what he was saying!

"Never you mind..." She said, placing her hands over her daughter's ears. Yes, what he was saying was in German, but she did it just in case...She knew children picked things up easily.

George went on to say, "Ich meine es, Melania! Ich behandle Sie als wenn Sie meine eigene Tochter...Frances machte diese gleichen Fehler, und ich wusste nicht behandeln sie anders...Ich nehme Sie in...aber nur, wenn du mich willst zu." The English translation, "I mean it, Melania! I'm treating you as if you were my own daughter...Frances made this same mistake, and I didn't treat her any different...I'm taking you in...but only if you want me to..."

"Mary Jane...run along outside for a moment, please."

"Yes Ma." She said, and left.

"It is different, Mr. Gruber...I'm not your daughter...and...George and I aren't married...Whereas, Fred and Frances are."

"Yes...I know that...but they still committed the same sin, made the same mistake... And we will figure things out. For now, you two are staying with us. For as long as you need to...Besides, this does involve my son...and my granddaughter..." He smiled, looking out the window at Mary Jane.

"I don't really understand this...but I'll have you know...I know that your trust in me has been broken...and I'll strive to earn your trust again."

"It hasn't, Melania...And trust is given...not earned...You still have my trust, little lady. You were such a sweet girl back then...and as far as I'm concerned, you still are."

"Thank you, Mr. Gruber..."

"You're welcome...Now, go get my sweet little granddaughter and bring her in here!" Big George smiled.

"We've been grandparents all this time!" Franziska smiled, wrapping her arms around her husband. "We've got a lot of catching up to do!"

"Ten years worth!" Big George smiled as Mary Jane ran into his arms, and he lifted her up on his shoulders.


	32. Chapter 32

The much awaited month of December had finally come and Frances was getting closer to her due date, the 17th. On one cold, snowy day, she and Fred bundled up so they could go to her doctor's appointment.

"Why does Dr. Walker's office have to be at the very top of the hill?" Frances complained. "Of all the places to keep a stinkin' doctor's office! Why does it have to be at the TOP of the hill?...How in the world does he expect to get to his patients on a day like this?...Or have them come to him?...I mean, c'mon now!" She ranted and raved.

"I know, honey...Don't worry. We'll get there..." Fred said, trying to keep her as calm as he could, but it wasn't really working!

Just then, Dickey boy, the horse her parents had given them, made a complete stop and stood at the bottom of Walker Street.

"Oh NO! No way, Dickey boy!...I know Ma always did this, but not me!...Not in the middle of winter and certainly NOT while I am nine months pregnant!" She yelled at the horse. "I'm NOT getting out and leading you up this icy steep hill, you stupid horse!...YOU'RE supposed to lead us! Not the other way around!" Frances sat there, as the horse didn't move an inch, for a solid ten minutes, YELLING her lungs out at the lazy horse! "I can understand doing that in the summertime, but in the middle of winter? December! The COLDEST stinkin' month of all!...I am in no way even able to WALK all the way up the hill, you stupid horse!...I'm not doing this!" You see, years ago, Franziska Gilch Gruber, for one reason or another, would take trips up the hill with Dickey boy, and as the horse would stop at the bottom of Walker Street, Franziska would say to Frances, "Now watch this..." and she would get out and LEAD the horse by the reigns, all the way to the very top of the hill!

"Are you done yelling at the horse?" Fred asked, smirking and trying not to laugh.

Frances let out a frustrated breath..."Yes...I'm done."

"Don't worry...I'd NEVER make you walk up this hill in your condition...I'll get that horse to move one way or another!" Fred said determinedly and yelled commands and cracked the reigns. Finally, they started moving again, very s-l-o-w-l-y up the hill, and made it to the top where they saw the familiar sign, "Chester H. Walker , M.D."

"Thanks honey...I'm sorry I've been so grouchy!" Frances said, laying her head on his shoulder, and Fred put an arm around her.

"Its all right...I understand. I bet I'd do the same if I were in your same situation." Fred said, softly rubbing her arm.

"Want to come in with me?..." Frances smiled.

"Of course..." Fred smiled, got out and gently and carefully helped his wife down from the buckboard.

"Why hello Mr. and Mrs. Lay!...How are you feeling today, Frances?" Dr. Walker smiled.

"Fat n' sassy!" Frances replied, laughing.

"Well, after the baby...the weight will come off. Every woman's different. Some say it just melts right off...but stick to good eating habits and good exercise, and I'm sure it'll be no problem...as for your sassyness, Fred will have to take care of that one!" Dr. Walker laughed.

"Ha! Its a partnership, him and me...With my Pa and me...it was a dictatorship!" Frances laughed.

Dr. Walker laughed and guided her into the other room, with Fred waiting in the front room. He began to ask her questions and examine her. Everything was just fine with her and the baby, but Dr. Walker soon came to the conclusion that this baby wasn't quite ready to be born...on its due date, at least...but soon after that, he figured.

"Just have someone come get me when you think you're in labor...and I'll let my daughter and granddaughter know that you need them...I'll be there sometime after the baby is born...To check the baby over, take measurements and weight and such..." He smiled.

"Thank you, Dr. Walker."

"You're welcome...Now I hate to be the bearer of bad news...but I have something to tell you...I won't be the town's doctor any longer...My son-in-law is taking the job over...I'm going back to being a farmer. I miss my dairy farm."

"I understand...When will you be leaving permanently?" She asked.

"In a few months...Don't worry. I won't head off now!" He laughed. "You and that baby will probably be my last patients." He smiled.

Fred and Frances headed back down the hill, and instead of going home, they stopped at her parents' place. Franziska wanted her daughter with her in her last days...and possibly, last few weeks of her first pregnancy. The 17th of December soon came, her due date...and no baby! The 18th passed...and no baby. December 19th came and went...still no baby! The 20th of December had arrived and that night, Frances thought she might be in labor.

"Ma..." Frances said, walking out of the bedroom. "Could we get Dr. Walker...or Mrs. Clark and Helen? Somebody?" She asked very calmly.

"You think its labor?" Franziska smiled.

"Yeah, Ma...At first I thought I was having really bad backaches...but it feels different now. Are they contractions, Ma?" She asked...How was she to know? This was her first pregnancy! She never went through this before.

"I believe so, sweetheart...How bad do they hurt...and how far apart are they?"

"They don't hurt so much...Just feel like a little cramp. Like when I get my cycle...but then again, I'm pretty tough. I can take pain well."

"That you can..." Franziska said. "How many minutes apart are they?"

"About ten...maybe more. I'm not sure."

"Well, lets sit down in the rocking chair awhile and we can time them..."

Frances walked over and carefully lowered herself into the rocking chair.

"George?" Franziska called for her husband.

"Yeah?" George Sr. called from the kitchen. He was making himself a sandwich. He came into the front room with it, piled high with ham, cheese and all sorts of other things..."What's going on?" He asked, taking a bite.

"Put that sandwich down, George Michael!...Good Lord, is that all you do is EAT?...Go notify Dr. Walker or Dr. Clark...and then let Helen and her mother know we may need them tonight...It might be a good idea to let Fred know as well."

"Its..." Big George started to say.

"We think she is...Now go!"

George Sr. grabbed his hat and coat and headed out the door...He came back with Dr. Walker, and Fred as well, as quickly as he possibly could. Dr. Walker got all of his medical things and checked her over. Asking her questions.

"Have you passed your mucus plug yet?...Any bloody show? Anything like that?"

"Not that I know of...No sir. I've had a little discharge...but that's normal, right?"

"Yes...perfectly normal...Just let me know if it ever looks like anything out of the ordinary...Different coloration...foul odor. Could be a sign of a problem, is all...You don't have to worry though...Yours isn't, correct?"

"Yes sir, its normal."

"I just don't think this baby's quite ready to get here yet..." He laughed. "Give it some more time...Your body will know when its time, trust me...but this isnt it. The contractions you were feeling were most likely practice conractions...nothing to worry about. Just how God designed it to get your body ready for the real thing..."

"Thank you, Dr Walker...Sorry it was a...false alarm."

"That's quite all right...Its my job to see to my patients." He smiled. "See you in a few days, maybe."

"You all right, hon?" Fred asked, kneeling beside the rocking chair. His hand on hers.

"I'm fine...I really thought I was in labor! False labor, it was though...Sorry sweetheart."

"Want me to stay here for the rest of the night?"

"No, I'll be fine...You go on back home..." Frances smiled. "Get some sleep."

"You too..." Fred said and leaned in and kissed her goodbye. Said in German to her, "Ich liebe dich..." Which in English meant, "I love you..." and he went on home.

Christmas Day had come and gone and Frances STILL hadn't had her baby! It was the 26th and she was beginning to get annoyed...and a little bit worried...but mostly annoyed.

"Ma...This baby is 9 days overdue! I can understand a few days, but a week and two days already?...I just want to get this over with!"

"I know sweetheart...Your body will know when, and you're obviously not physically ready yet."

"I think I passed a little bit of my mucus plug a few days ago...it shouldn't be long now."

"That's a good way to be potsitive, sweetheart." Franziska smiled.

The 27th of December had come and Frances stayed in bed for quite awhile that morning...Her mother became a little worried about her...so she went into the bedroom to check on her. "How ya feelin'?"

"Horrible...I hurt all over Ma! I don't feel good at all..." She said, laying her head back on her pillow, her eyes closed.

"You just rest...Call for me if you need me, all right?"

"Okay...Thanks Ma." Frances smiled weakly.

"No problem..."

Sometime around midnight, Frances had gotten up out of bed, still dressed in her nightgown, though. She slowly walked into the front room and sat down in the rocking chair.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Her mother came and put an arm around her. Rubbed her arm a little. "How do you feel now? Did sleep help?"

"Not much...I feel the same." She titled her head back and had her eyes closed. Her mother noticed a grimacing look of pain on her face.

"Contraction?" Franziska asked.

"Yep..." Frances knodded. "I'm okay though." She tried to smile.

"Tell me when they get closer together and more intense..."

"I will,...don't worry!" She half-laughed. Frances was beginning to get a little scared, this being her very first pregnancy. She tried focusing on being calm...staying calm. She sat there for a few hours, with every 10 minutes or so, she felt pain in her back, and it came around to her abdomen in a wave-like sensation. Another one hit and the contraction stopped again and she let out a breath and felt her abdomen grow soft again. She sat there rocking in the rocking chair for awhile.

A little while later, she felt another...and then another one a few minutes later. Then they got a little stronger. Frances sat there rocking in the chair, her eyes closed and a look of pain still on her face. "Oh God..." She breathed.

"You all right?" Her mother asked.

"Yes Ma,...I'm fine. You know how it is...It just hurts." She said. "I'll be fine..."

"You're a trooper, all right." Franziska smiled...smoothing back wavy tendrils of her daughter's long reddish brown hair.

"Not feeling so trooper-ish right now, Ma...Good Lord, I hurt all over!" She whimpered, tilting her head back again.

"I know, but you're staying calm...that's good...Try and move around a bit...maybe that will help."

Frances got up and started walking around the room...She walked around the room for awhile. It didn't help.

"Ma, it makes it stronger!...It just makes the pain worse!" Frances cried, leaning against the wall. "Can't I try and lie down for awhile?"

"Of course you can..." She said. "Maybe it'll help a little."

Melania came into the room. "How are you feeling, Frances?"

"Like I'm in labor..." She stated. "I'm going into the bedroom to rest a little while."

"Come get us if you need anything..." Melania said.

"I will..." Frances replied and turned and went into the room and layed down for a few hours or so...

"Blizzard out there...Its really coming down now." Melania said. "Will Helen and her mother be able to get here in time?"

"I have no idea, Melania...I sent George out a few hours ago...to tell Fred and to let Mrs. Clark and Helen know she's in labor...He's probably stuck out there...If they don't get here in time, I'll have to deliver the baby."

"I'll help you...Whatever you need me to do. I'm here."

"Thank you...And George Jr. and John's here too...They'll be a big help as well..."

A while later, Frances came into the kitchen.

"Hey Sis, how ya doing?" John asked...he and Mary Jane were sitting at the kitchen table...There was breakfast on the table. Looks like George had made it, since he was at the woodstove.

"What time is it?" She asked, a little annoyed. "What day is it?"

"5:30 in the morning...December 28th..."

"Oh God..." She moaned. "Where's Ma? Or Melania?"

"In the next room..."

"Thanks..." Frances said and slowly walked into the next room.

"Hey...How are you?" Melania asked.

"Would you people stop asking me how I am?...I'm in labor to give birth to my baby. HOW am I supposed to feel?" She said, settling herself in the rocking chair. Her contractions had gotten much stronger and closer together. She was in a lot of pain...and couldn't do anything about it...except endure it. "I'm sorry I'm irritable."

"That's all right...We know how you feel..." Melania said.

"They're stronger, aren't they sweetheart?" Franziska said, noticing her daughter's painful expression on her face. Frances inhalled sharply and all she could do was knod, as tears were coming out of her eyes...She tried getting up again to walk around. "Oh Dear Lord!" Another contraction hit, and it had gotten stronger. Others followed minutes later. She tried making her way to the bedroom again, but her mother stopped her.

"Stay out here..."

"Can't I just go lay down, Ma?" She pleaded, tears falling down her cheeks.

"No, I think it would be better if you were out here. We'll, make up a place for you...George Jr.! John!" She called for her two grown sons...

"Yeah, Ma?" John called, sticking his head through the kitchen door.

"Go and get some straw and the blankets from the barn, please. Quick as you can..."

"All right...George!" John called for him, grabbed their coats and hats, and they rushed out.

"God, its really snowing now!" George Jr. exclaimed.

"Yeah!" John yelled through the icy, chilly wind..."C'mon! Lets get to the barn and get back as soon as we can!"

"All right!" George shouted back...and they made their way to the barn, got the blankets, and tried to find their way back to the house, snow and wind whipping at their faces, it was hard to see correctly...but at last they made it back...

Melania and Franziska got things ready and made up a 'bed' in front of the fireplace.

"Ma! I can't have this baby on the floor!"

"You can and you will!...Frances, we're in the middle of the coldest blizzard this year! That room is drafty and I don't want you getting sick!...You'd be better out here...We can use the fire for warmth and it'll keep you calm..."

"I guess I don't have a choice...Do I?" Frances said...making her way over to them..."Ma..." She said, in a slight panic.

"Yes?"

"My water just broke..."

"Are you sure?...Gushing...or just a trickle?"

"Gush...and it feels like it just keeps on coming!..."

Melania and Franziska got Frances to lay down before the fireplace, well, she was half lying down...

"George Jr...John...I need y'alls help. Get down beside her..."

"Yes Ma." George Jr. said and he got down on one side, with John on the other, supporting their sister.

"Ma, I can't let my brothers see me giving birth!" She wailed.

"They're going to have to!...I need all the help I can get! Plus if they need to hold you down."

"Hold me down!" She shouted...Frances REALLY was panicking now. Which made the pain even worse!

"Oh God, it hurts!" Frances wailed..."Ma, it hurts!...It hurts! Oh GOD, what have I gotten myself into?"

"I know it hurts...but you need to stay calm, Frances..."

"I can't!" She wailed.

"Yes you can...Now calm yourself!"

A strong contraction came again..."Damn this!...Damn this to HELL!" Frances sobbed.

George and John looked at her shocked.

"Frances!" John said, looking at her wide-eyed.

"What?" She snapped at him.

"You swore!"

"You're damn right I did!" She shouted. "And your point is?" Frances asked through clenched teeth.

"You NEVER swear!" George Jr. exclaimed.

Frances grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him towards her, so he was inches away from her face.

"If YOU...were experiencing...the pain I'm in right now...You'd understand!" Frances growled.

"Okay, Frances has mastered the word damn! What's next? The F word?"

"Shut. Up. John..." Frances said, breathing heavily. "All my life...you've been my favorite brother...and NOW you choose to be annoying!"

"Frances, ignore them...You need to concentrate."

"I am, Melania!"

"Just calm down, sweetheart..." Franziska said. "Melania...help me get her on her side, a different position will help."

"Easy...Easy now..." Melania and Franziska helped Frances lay down on her left side. Another strong, painful contraction came, and Frances gripped the blanket and tried biting it to keep from screaming from the pain. But still, soon the pain became quite hard to bear, and she would scream and cry and moan into the blanket. "My dear Lord, this HURTS!" She screamed.

"Frances, you're doing fine...You just need to calm yourself." Franziska said, soothing her daughter.

"I don't feel like I'm doing fine, Ma." She cried. "I'm in pain!..."

"I know, honey...I know you are."

"Ma...it hurts to have a baby...Doesn't it." 10 year old Mary Jane said to her mother. She was sitting at the kitchen table...a sheet was put up for privacy, but you could hear EVERYTHING coming from the next room.

"Yes...It does. But its worth the pain...You'll understand when you have a baby of your own someday..."

A small child-like panic hit young Mary Jane. "I don't want to have a baby..."

"You'll change your mind when you're older...They always do."

"Did you, Ma.?"

"Yes...I did." She smiled, holding her daughter and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm scared for Aunt Frances...Will she be okay?"

"She'll be fine, sweetheart...Don't you worry."

"Here honey...drink a little water." Franziska said, lifting the glass of water to her daughter's lips.

Frances layed her head back and rested awhile, until again, she felt a strong contraction. It got to the strongest part of it, and Frances wasn't talking so much anymore. Her desire to do so was becoming less and less. The contraction had ended and Frances went back to talking a little...

"Where's Fred?..." She asked, tears staining her cheeks. "I want my husband..."

"With your father...Don't worry, they're safe. You just focus on you right now."

"Why isn't Dr. Walker here?...Or Mrs. Clark and Helen?"

"They couldn't make it on account of the blizzard, remember..."

"Oh..." She said between another contraction..."Right..." She breathed out deeply.

"Its all right, hon...Your Ma knows what to do..." Franziska smiled.

"Here, drink some more water..." John said, lifting the glass to her lips, and Frances took a sip if it.

"You don't have to be scared, sweetheart...I know what I'm doing...I've delievered a few babies in my time...and I been in actual labor 5 times in my life..."

Frances closed her eyes as she felt another contraction...She didn't say a thing, but the same painful expression was still etched on her face, and her nails dug into John's knee. She exhalled deeply again as the contraction had ended. They were getting closer and closer together and stronger and stronger...Sometimes with double peaks. Frances almost couldn't stand it, but she just had to lay there and endure it!

After hours and hours of being in labor, tears streamed out of her eyes as she lay on her back again..."Ma!...I can't...I can't do this anymore!" She lay there shaking in front of the fire, breaking out in a cold sweat. John and George Jr. took turns dabbing her face and neck with a cloth. "I'm in front of a blazing fire,...and I'm freezing!"

"I know...It won't be long now...Just hang in there, sweetheart..."

"Ma, I feel like I'm going to throw up!"

"I know..."

"My legs are shaking!" She cried.

"George Jr...John. Get a hold of her..." Franziska commanded and they grabbed Frances's knees and thighs...and held her.

Frances felt her body ready to start to push...but her mother told her to wait awhile. "Not yet...Give it some time...All its going to do is tire you out..."

Frances later felt another contraction...and then five minutes or so later, another one...and then nothing.

"Ma, they're spreading out again...No,...now I think they've stopped..."

"I know...Just rest and be thankful, sweetheart."

Frances layed her head back again, breathed deeply and rested awhile...until a few mintues later, she felt another contraction and the urge to push again.

"How much longer?" Frances wailed. "I don't know if I can take this much longer, Ma!"

"I know...It shouldn't be long now...I think you're about ready. Just hang in there...You can do it!"

Moments later, Frances felt another strong urge to push, and she started to, but stopped.

"Go on!...You were doing fine!"

Frances held her breath and started to push again...she let the breath out and her chest heaved as she gasped for more air.

"You did so well, sweetheart!" Franziska exclaimed...Frances leaned her head against John's shoulder and breathed again for awhile.

"Another one!...Wonderful! You're doing wonderful!...C'mon...another one!"

Frances beared down once again, held her breath and pushed.

"Ma, this is taking forever!" She said, breathlessly.

"I know it seems that way...Just hang in there, you're doing just fine..."

She pushed again, and let out a scream at the end.

"That's fine! Yell if you have too!"

Frances started laughing...and tears came again. "I have to do something!" Frances leaned her head back again and breathed awhile and felt the urge to push again, and so she did. Later, she did again, and yelled out in pain...She pushed once more...rested...and then later pushed again, screaming through it. She layed her head back again on one of her brother's chest and breathed heavily again...and rested awhile.

"Where's Fred?" Frances questioned. "I want him!...I want my husband..."

"You worry about you..."

"I want him here, Ma!" She started sobbing.

"He can't...And I want you to focus on you right now, Frances!" Franziska snapped at her.

Frances took a breath and felt the urge to push again. She did and then rested awhile, until she pushed again, minutes later.

"Why is it taking so long?" She wailed. "I want this to be over!" Frances shouted.

"I know...I know, sweetheart. It's almost over...Hang in there."

"I don't know if I can!" She wailed.

"Yes you can!...Don't doubt yourself!" George felt himself slipping, so he and John got a better grip on her.

Frances held her breath and pushed again.

"I can see the head...Honey, its almost over...Its almost over! You're almost done." Franziska exclaimed. "The baby's head is beginning to crown now!"

"What does that mean?" John asked.

"The widest part of the baby's head is starting to pass through her...Well, you know!" She shouted.

"Oh..." He said, straining his neck to see... but George Jr. was beginning to feel woozy.

"George Jr...don't you dare faint on me!" His mother said.

"Sorry Ma." He gulped. "I just don't know if I can take the sight of this..."

"Man up!" John told him.

"Melania! I need those hot compresses now! Or she'll tear!..." Franziska called. Melania rushed into the room with them, and handed them to Franziska...and she applied them.

"The baby's head is crowning!" Franziska exclaimed.

"Ma, I feel like I'm on fire!...Like I'm being torn in two!" Frances yelled.

"I know...You're not tearing, you're perfectly fine! Just stop pushing now..."

Frances did as her mother told her.

"Just relax..."

"I'm trying, Ma!" Frances said.

"The baby's head is out!" George Jr. exclaimed.

"Oh God..." John said, now he felt like he was going to pass out!

"John...I can't have you fainting on me now! First George Jr.? Now you?"

John did his best to stay strong...but it was hard for him.

"I never fainted!...I only felt woozy!" George Jr. exclaimed.

The baby began to turn to work its little shoulders through, and Franziska helped it along..."The shoulders are out!"

"Just one more push, Frances...One more strong push and it'll be all over! All over!" Franziska coached. "You can do it!...I know you can!"

Frances mustered up all the strength she could, and pushed her baby out the rest of the way, immediately feeling a large gush of the rest of the amniotic fluid. Moments later, Frances soon lost herself in a sea of joyful tears when she heard her baby cry for the very first time! It wasn't so loud, but you could tell the baby had a good set of lungs!...Frances tilted her head back on George Jr.'s shoulder again and cried.

Franziska laughed. "Look's like this baby's a little sneak! Its legs are together...How are we to know what this little one is, huh?"

Frances laughed and smiled...with tears still falling from her eyes.

Her mother chuckled and spread the baby's little legs so she could see what it was. Her eyes went wide. "Boy!...Its a boy!"

"A boy!...Oh my word,...A BOY!" Frances kept saying over and over, and went back to crying her happy tears once more. "Let me hold him...Skin to skin!...My boy!" Frances smiled, and her mother lowered the baby onto his mother's chest, as Frances shifted the fabric of her nightgown away...Sure he was still covered with blood and other fluid and was all slimey, but he was HER baby. That was all that mattered to her that moment. "My boy." She said again and smiled. "I just can't believe it!" There she went back to crying again...she couldn't help it. She had a right to be emotional! "My boy..."

"We're uncles!" George Jr. and John hugged each other.

Franziska chuckled at her sons. "Boys...one of you check the time and date..."

George Jr. and John immediately looked at their watches..."Its 3:30 a.m.!...December 29th!" They both said at once.

"So many long, hard hours..." Franziska stated.

"I don't care...It was well worth it!" Frances said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was glad to FINALLY hold her baby. Frances chuckled as she began to nurse him..."Looks like he has no trouble latching on! He's hungry..."

They waited a few minutes for the placenta to be delivered, Franziska cut the baby's umbilical cord, cleaned him up and wrapped him in a blanket and brought him back to Frances. "Have you thought of what to name him?"

"Fred George Lay..." She smiled. "I could never decide on a middle name...Until now."

"Fred after Pa...George after Grandpa." Her mother smiled.

"What about his uncle?...I'm George too, you know!" George Jr. laughed.

John, George Jr., and Franziska all started laughing...even Frances was...a little.

"Can we come in now? Mary Jane would like to see the little one..." Melania poked her head through the sheet. She's been up for hours...she couldn't get to sleep."

"I'm so sorry, Melania...I didn't mean to keep her up. Did I frighten her?"

"She was worried for you, yes...But don't you worry, Frances. Besides, the girl needs to find things out like this someday."

"But she's so young..." Frances said.

"Yes, I know...She's only ten, but she's quite mature for her age. She'll be all right." Melania reassured her. "Can she come in?"

"Of course." Frances smiled. Melania pulled back the sheet and Mary Jane walked in, dressed in her nightgown and nightcap. She walked over and kneeled down next to Frances.

"Meet your new cousin...Fred George Lay." Frances smiled, pulling back the blanket a little so Mary Jane could see his little face better.

"He seems so tiny..." Mary Jane smiled, gazing at him. She watched as he opened his little mouth in a yawn...and she caught a flash of a baby-blue eye. Mary Jane smiled with glee.

Frances chuckled a little. "He's winking at you, Mary Jane!"

"Looks like he'll be a little heartbreaker when he's older..."

"Oh Ma..." Frances laughed. She looked at her neice, exhausted. "Would you like to hold him?" Frances smiled.

"Oh no, I couldn't!" Mary Jane said. "I'm too afraid!"

"Don't be..." Frances smiled and shook her head.

"Can I, Ma?" Mary Jane smiled up at her mother.

"Only for a moment...I don't want you getting your germs all over that baby..."

"He'll be fine..." Frances said. She carefully passed him over and into Mary Jane's arms. "Just hold him...Support his head like that...There you go!" Frances smiled. "See? Nothing to be scared about...You're a natural, Mary Jane!"

"Don't get too excited...You won't be having your own for another ten years or so, Mary Jane..." Melania layed a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"I'd be 20! I'd be old enough!"

"Get yourself a husband first..." Melania smiled. "Now, give that little one back to his Ma and let her get some rest!"

"Grandma will take care of that..." Franziska smiled, taking the baby from Mary Jane..."Now, you just get some sleep, Frances..." She looked over at her daughter, and saw she had already knodded off.

"Poor girl had quite a hard time with this one,...no wonder she's exhausted." Franziska said, gazing down at her daughter, lying there...still looking like a precious angel...like she did when she fell asleep when she was a young girl. "She's strong though...Did well." Franziska said to herself.

Just then, the door flew open and in rushed Big George...along with Fred, Dr. Walker and Dr. Clark.

"Sorry, we got lost in the blizzard!" Fred gasped. "What day is it?"

"The 29th..." Franziska smiled...and Fred noticed she was holding a small bundle in her arms.

"She had the baby...What is it? Boy or girl? What is it?" Fred asked excitedly...and glanced over and saw her on the floor by the fireplace. "How is she?"

"She's just fine...Let her sleep, she's exhausted." Franziska said. "It'll give you time to get acquainted with this new little one..." She smiled. "Meet your son...Fred George Lay." She carefully slid the baby into Fred's arms.

"Gosh, I'm nervous!...Never held a baby before!" Fred smiled widely, looking down at his new son. He was overjoyed, and terribly nervous at the same exact time!

"You're doing fine, don't worry..." His mother-in-law said. "Just hold his head up a little more...That's it." Franziska smiled.

Fred carefully ran a hand over the baby's full head of light reddish-brown hair. All he could do was smile...it was like he couldn't wipe it off his face! He was so proud.

"Well, lets get this baby weighed and measured, shall we?" Dr. Walker smiled, with his son-in-law, Dr. Clark assisting. "You recorded the date and time when he was born, didn't you, Franziska?"

"Yes sir...3:30 A.M., Saturday morning, December the 29th..." She smiled.

Dr. Walker weighed and measured little Fred George, with Dr. Clark recording everything. "I'd say...8 pounds, 9 ounces...22 inches long...On Saturday, the 29th of December...3:30 A.M...assisted by Franziska Gilch Gruber."

Franziska beamed with pride watching them with her new grandson...

"Well done, Grandma!" Dr. Walker smiled. "Delivered a heathly and right handsome little boy."

"Thank you, Dr. Walker...Dr. Clark." She knodded to both of them and turned to her husband. "George?...How about you go up to the attic and get John's old crib."

"That'll do for now...I'll be getting around to make one for him soon..." Big George said. "C'mon George Jr. or John. We'll head up and get it." Big George and John headed upstairs.

"I've some of the boy's old baby clothes up in a trunk up there too! Could you bring that down too?" Franziska called up to them. "George Jr. go help them..."

"Sure Ma." Little George headed upstairs to them attic. They soon came down with the crib and trunk.

"Set it down somewhere, please." They did and she layed baby Fred George in the cradle.

"Ma?" Frances whispered, waking up a little.

"Hey beautiful..." Fred whispered.

"Fred...You're here." She smiled.

"I know I'm too late...I'm sorry, honey." Fred said, smoothing her hair.

"You couldn't help it..." Frances said weakly. "I understand."

"Did you see the baby?" She smiled, looking up at him.

"Yeah." He smiled at her, and leaned forward and kissed her softly. "He's wonderful...He's ours."

Frances smiled at him and tears began again..."We made that...God made that...but He used us to do it, Fred."

"I know...Its mind-boggling, isn't it?" Fred smiiled at her and looked over at the cradle and then looked back at her. "How are you feelin', huh?"

"Sore...Really sore and tired...but I'll be fine."

"Get some sleep..." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

**A/N: I made a little mistake before! Mr. C.H. Walker was not a doctor at all, but he was the proprieter of Walker's Dairy... It was his son-in-law, who's last name was Clark...he was the guy who was the dentist...but that's how awesome fanfiction is! You can mold certain things in, change the story here and there. I had someone say to me once, "So you're basically rewriting history?" and I told her, "No...Not really, because it never actually happened in real life! Just in my story it did..." Behold, the power of fanfiction! lol. :)**

**The little story about Franziska Gruber and Dickey boy is true! Too cute and funny!**

**Fred G. Lay, known as Freddie by his mother, was born on December 14th, 1912. I did not know this at the time of writing.**


	33. Chapter 33

Having finished their jobs, Dr. Walker and Dr. Clark left. Both mother and baby sleeping...for now anyway, made for a very quiet time.

"George, how about you go and fix that drafty room...We can move Frances in there later. She can't stay on the floor, you know."

Big George grunted, grabbed his coat and hat, walked outside to the barn and grabbed his tools and came inside and went into the spare, drafty bedroom.

"Can you handle it, George?...The boys can help you, I'm sure!" Franziska called to her husband, and waited for a reply.

"Yeah, yeah,...I got it!" George Sr. hollered back, and set out for a few hours and worked at fixing up the room.

Franziska rolled her eyes..."Men...They always think they can do it all by themselves...Anyway, I think I'll go through the boys' old baby clothes. Want to help me, Melania?"

"Sure..." She replied and Mary Jane ran up to her.

"Can I help too, Ma?"

"If its all right with your grandmother..." Melania said, smiling at Franziska.

"Of course you may, my sweet little pumpkin." She smiled, leaned down and gave her granddaughter a kiss on forehead.

Franziska, Melania and Mary Jane kneeled down by the little trunk. Franziska carefully unlocked it and started sorting through the baby clothes...

"Oh, I remember when John wore this as a newborn!" Franziska smiled and held up a little light blue cotton tunic, with a dark blue ribbon on it.

"I don't think he'd be able to fit one foot in it now." George Jr. laughed.

"Go back to sleep, George..." John muttered. George Jr. shoved him.

"Men will be boys..." Franziska said to Melania, and both women started chuckling.

Franziska layed out a set of brown cotton pantalettes and a little white shirt that went to the hip, complete with tiny brown stockings. "This was George's...Oh, he looked as cute as a button in this! My mother made this outfit for him..."

"Awww...Wittle Georgie wooked so cute!" John teased his older brother.

"Shut up..." George Jr. glared at him. "Now that Joe's off and married you think you need to take his place?"

"This one's pretty!" Mary Jane exclaimed, holding up a little green tunic.

"Oh, another one of George's...That one will look nice on the little fella..." Franziska smiled. She reached in and found a little orange cotton pantalette set of Joseph's...she also found a few white ones, some gray ones..."I think those will do...and I can always make little cotton shirts and little stockings for him...Unless Frances already has..."

"I can help you with that project..." Melania offered.

"Thank you, Melania..." She smiled.

Big George came in from the bedroom.

"Finished already?" Franziska smiled.

"Yep..." George Sr. said and walked out the door to go to the barn.

"Lets go see, shall we?" Franziska smiled and went into the spare bedroom, with Melania and Mary Jane following her.

"A job well done..." Franziska smiled, looking around the room. "The man's a hard worker, I can tell you that...Was one of the reasons I married him, I reckon..."

"What was the other reason you married Grandpa?" Mary Jane asked excitedly.

"Mary Jane..." Her mother scolded. "That was not at your liberty to ask that question."

"Oh fiddlesticks!...Melania, she's fine!" Franziska said to her, and then turned to her granddaughter. "The other reason I married your Grandpa was...even though he may not say much and may look all tough on the outside, on the inside he's got a heart of gold..." She smiled. "And your Pa's just like him..." Franziska smiled, winking at her granddaughter. "He may be tough and brawny, but he's the sweetest..."

"I remember..." Melania smiled and said softly to herself. She found herself alone in the room, for her daughter and Franziska had left...and her thoughts drifted to George Jr. for a moment...but she shook herself back into reality and left the room herself.

"George...since you've got the room all done...can we move Frances in now?" His wife asked him.

"Taking care of it." He said, carefully lifting an exhausted, sleeping Frances into his arms and into the bedroom...like he would do when she was a little girl...It brought back back all sorts of memories for him.

"Pa..." She whispered, her head resting on his broad shoulder.

"I'm just taking you into the room, little girl...Got it all fixed up for you."

"Thank you, Pa..."

"You're welcome..." Big George carefully layed her on the bed, and she got under the covers. "You still sore, hmmm." He said, stating the obvious.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine..." She smiled a little.

"Oh, I know you will..." He said, taking a seat in the rocking chair near the bed, his hands on his knees. "Four or more weeks of good rest here with us will help you." George Sr. leaned back into the rocking chair..."I remember when you were a newborn and I'd stay up nights rocking you in this thing...Holding you close to my chest, just rocking away, till you finally fell asleep..." He smiled as all sorts of memories flooded his mind. Frances smiled, listening on until she grew tired again.

"I'll let you get some shut eye..." Big George smiled at her, gave her a kiss on the forehead and left the room. Frances slept for a few hours until her mother came into the room with her crying newborn.

"This little man wants another feeding..." Franziska chuckled. Frances sat up a little and her mother gave him to her and as soon as he was in his mother's arms, he was calm...like the air after a rainstorm. The tip of her finger lightly touched his cheek and as quick as a wink, he turned his little head opened his little mouth.

"Amazing how he knows just what to do..." Frances said, in wonder.

"Its how the Lord programmed him." Franziska smiled, gazing at him. "Well, I'll leave you two alone now..." She said, and walked out the bedroom door, closing it softly behind her.

"I'm glad one of us knows what to do..." She sighed, and lifted her breast to him so he could get the beginnings of her breastmilk. _"Well, I do know a little bit...Thanks to Ma."_ She thought. Frances gazed down at him, his eyes closed as he soon started sucking away, as content as ever. This was only her second time nursing him, yes...but she felt a little akward, scared, unsure of herself as a mother...She didn't have a lot of experience with babies...and espesially with babies this young.

"I'm your own mother...and I find it hard to talk to you..." She sighed, looking down at him. "How pathetic is that?" She found it hard to talk to babies sometimes...She just didn't know what to say...and it was even more different now realizing that this was HER baby.

Frances looked down at him as he was now laying there in her arms...all scrunched up, his arms close against his little chest. "You have no idea what I'm saying anyway...What would it matter to you?" She started chuckling softly. "Well, I'm talking to you now...It doesn't really make any sense to you...but I'm talking to you...Freddy." She smiled. "I like that nickname..." Frances saw that he was beginning to fall asleep so she picked him up, with his head on her chest and let him lay like that. She started rubbing and patting his little back...and Frances soon found herself patting his little rear end.

She laughed at herself. "Ma used to do this with me all the time when I was a baby and it would make me fall asleep!" Frances smiled. "Lets see if it will work with you, hmmm?" She did and when she saw that he had fallen asleep, Frances smiled. _"Maybe this whole being a mother thing isnt so hard..."_ Frances thought. "I still can't believe it." She whispered. "My boy..." Frances sat there, gazing down at his little form. She saw he had on a little white cotton shirt and little brown pantalettes and tiny brown stockings..."Ma must've dressed him in this." She smiled and gazed at him awhile until she heard a knock on her bedroom door. "C'mon in..." She said, loud enough for the person to hear, but not loud enough to disturb little Freddy. The door opened and her mother walked in.

"Awww, you got him to go to sleep already..." Franziska smiled. "Want me to take him now so you can get some more rest?"

"Sure Ma..." She said, slowly lifting him away from her and into her mother's arms. Before leaving, Franziska sat on the edge of the bed.

"We're using John's old cradle out there for now...Your Pa will be getting around to making one for him this week. Gonna be one with raised legs so it'll be like he's in the bed with you, but he's in his own...If he's right by the bed that is."

"He will..." Frances smiled. "I want him as close as he can get." She smiled, touching his tiny, little hand that was curled into a fist.

"Get some sleep now." Franziska smiled, and walked out of the room with baby Freddy. Frances layed back again and fell asleep for a few more hours.

Days had passed and one morning Frances woke up and found the crib with little Freddy laying in it, sleeping away. Except for feeding him, Franziska had been taking care of the newborn, letting her daughter rest as much as she could. Frances reached over and her finger stroked his little chest. "My boy..." Frances smiled. She rolled over on her side and watched him sleep for awhile...Her elbow resting on her pillow, her hand holding up her head. Frances gazed at him awhile, smiling and chuckling as every now and then as he'd stretch out all the way, and then just as quickly bring his arms and legs in and be all scrunched up again.

Ma Gruber came into the bedroom carrying a plate and some silverware. "Made you some breakfast...I'm sure you're starving." She set it on the little table next to the bed and sat down next to her daughter, still gazing down at her newborn son. "Eat, Frances. You need to keep your strength up..." Franziska chuckled. "Don't worry...He's not going anywhere!"

Frances' lips formed into a smile. "All right, Ma." She ate her breakfast, put the empty plate on the end table and leaned back against the pillows. A little while later she tried getting up out of bed.

"Oh no you don't, young lady...You stay there..." Franziska said.

"Ma...I've been in bed for days...I'm tired of it!" She said getting up and went to Freddy's cradle.

"Well, I don't want you doing too much!...No heavy lifting! Nothing heavier than that baby for the next few weeks."

"Agreed." Frances smiled at her mother and bent down to reach in and pick up her newborn baby. "Ma..." She said in a slight panic. "Ma!"

"What?...What is it?" Franziska asked, running over to her. "Frances, what's the matter?"

"There's blood...By his mouth. It wasn't there before, Ma!" Tears started to slide down her cheeks. "What's wrong? Why is he bleeding?"

Franziska carefully picked up her grandson and inspected him closely. "Frances, he's just scratched himself...His fingernails are too long!...We'll take care of that soon enough...but first let's get this bleeding to stop, hmmm?" She smiled at baby Freddy who didn't really seem alarmed at all. Franziska reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out a hanky and dabbed near his little mouth and got the bleeding to stop almost immediately. She carefully layed him on his back in the cradle once again.

Frances sat back down on the bed and almost lost herself as she was in tears..."I just thought something was wrong with him!...I thought I was a horrible mother already! I've been a mother almost a week and something like this happens!"

"Frances, calm yourself! He's fine! It was just a tiny, little scratch!...We'll clip his nails tonight." Franziska said, putting her arms around her, trying to soothe her daughter. "Sweetheart, its all right!"

"Its just, you always know just what to do with him...and I don't! I'm his mother! I should know these things!" Frances said. "Ma, I tried changing his cloth diaper the other day...I thought, 'I've changed a diaper a few times before, how hard could it be?'...It took me a good solid ten minutes! I didn't know which way the stupid thing went! And then I had trouble with the pins. I was afraid of sticking him!...It took a bit of doing, but I finally got it on him!"

Franziska started laughing at her daughter.

"Ma, its not funny! I'm being serious about this!"

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...It's just, so THAT's who put his diaper on wrong. I thought Fred had!" Franziska laughed.

"I put the stupid thing on wrong!" Frances moaned. "I could've sworn I finally did it right the last time!...I'm so stinkin' simple-minded, I don't even know how to change my own baby's diaper!"

"Well, what do you expect, Frances?" Her mother asked. "Your motherly instincts to just kick in?...BAM! I'm a mother now, I know how to do everything!" Franziska laughed. "It doesn't work that way, sweetheart...Its a learning process...and boy, will you make A LOT of mistakes!...I did with you, even though you were my last...and I made mistakes here and there with all four of my other babies too."

"Ma, no you didn't..." Frances began, but her mother interrupted her.

"Now don't say that, I won't hear it! I did so make mistakes...and there are plenty of things I wish I could've done over...Done differently. Like I said before, its a learning process...oh yes, some things will just kick in and it will be like, "Oh, so THAT's what you do for that...or this...but you have to learn and you have to be taught some things...Children don't come with a book containing step-by-step instructions." Franziska laughed. "Boy, wouldn't it be something if they did!"

Frances gave her mother a very sheepish grin and spoke. "I guess I shouldn't be so stubborn all the time...I really need to work on that...Don't I?"

Franziska laughed. "Yes. You do...Now, the next time your little one needs another changing, how about I show you the CORRECT way to put on a cloth diaper?" She chuckled.

Frances smirked, rolled her eyes, but then began to laugh with her mother. "All right..."

**A/N: My dad told me once how when I was a baby, he would stay up nights, holding me close to him, rocking me so I could go to sleep. I thought it would be cute to put that in this story, so I did. :)**


	34. Chapter 34

Fred was upstairs in the bedroom and had just taken his bath on a Saturday evening. He got out of the washtub, stepped onto a towel on the floor, so he wouldn't get the wooden floor all wet. Frances made sure of that! Fred reached for his towel on the dresser and put it around his waist. He opened the top dresser drawer to try and find something to wear...

"No...that's my nightshirts..." He said to himelf as he opened the second drawer. "Nothing..." He muttered and opened the third and fourth drawers. "Where are my clothes?"

"Frances!..." He hollered. "Hey honey, have you seen my clothes?...FRANCES!"

"What?" Fred heard her yell from downstairs. "I'm a little busy with the baby right now!" Frances was downstairs, in the midst of the sitting room, right in the middle of changing three month old Freddy into a new cloth diaper and a little white cotton shirt that went to his thighs. He was laying there and looked up at her in a little sassy attitude that made it known he didn't like all the noise.

Frances laughed..."Don't look at me like that!...Its your Pa who's doing all the yelling!" She got him dressed and picked him up..."Well, let's go see what Pa wants, hm, Freddy..." Frances headed upstairs with the baby in her arms.

"What's wrong, Fred?..." She asked, coming into the room.

"Hon, all my clothes are gone...All that's in there are my nightshirts."

"I tried mending them today...When I wasn't busy with the baby..."

"Well, are they ready or not?" He asked, getting a little annoyed.

"No...I'm sorry."

"Frances!" He whined.

"Fred, I told you I'm sorry! I tried!...I had so much housework to do! And with taking care of Freddy on top of that!...Can you put something on for right now and I'll see if I can finish them?"

"I guess so..."

"Here then...take your son." Frances lifted baby Freddy onto Fred's bare chest and went downstairs.

"Well how does Ma expect me to get dressed when I've got you to watch over...huh, little man?" Fred said, smiling at his son and gave him a little peck on his chubby cheek. He layed down on the bed, the towel still around his waist, his arms holding baby Freddy up in the air. "Its Mr. Birdy Boy!" Fred laughed, and brought his son down again so they were face to face. "All we need is feathers for you and you'd be all set, eh?" He smiled, and brought him back up in the air and close to his face again, and Freddy grasped his chubby little hands on Fred's face.

"Hey, that's my nose, kiddo!" Fred laughed. Baby Freddy brought his hands over Fred's mouth and Fred blew softly to see what he would do...Freddy was a little interested by it, but still put his little fingers over his daddy's lips, to which Fred gave him tons of kisses.

"Ma likes to do that more than I do, huh?...I think you like it better when she does it anyway!" Fred laughed.

"I _thought_ you were going to get dressed..." Frances laughed. She was holding a pair of Fred's walnut colored trousers, a really nice-looking dark, dark brown...and a dark red and burgundy striped collared shirt.

"I will." Fred smiled and sat up. Frances layed her husband's clothes on the bed and took baby Freddy from him. Fred started to get changed.

"Supper's almost ready..." Frances smiled.

"What are we having?" He asked, finished buttoning his shirt and he tucked it into his trousers.

"Deer stew...I'll go see how its cooking..." She said, placing the baby back into his father's arms and went downstairs to the kitchen.

"Pretty soon our little man will be eating some real food!" Fred came into the kitchen. "Bet you'll love that, eh buddy?"

"Not for awhile yet, hon...When he's about six months old...we'll try some fruit preserves!" Frances smiled excitedly at Freddy.

"Maybe some pears...plums...some peaches...Just start him out slow, Ma told me...Get him used to a food...and then move on..." Frances said, stirring the stew. "I don't want to try oatmeal on him...I hate the stuff."

"How do you know he wouldn't like it?" Fred chuckled.

"Fine..." Frances laughed..."Then you feed him it!"

"Its not that bad, you know..."

"I don't like it...I never have...Its just, nasty!" She shuddered. "Besides, you need to help out with him too!" She laughed.

Fred smirked and layed a gentle hand on her shoulder and leaned in and kissed her cheek. "All right."

"Good...then I leave you to feed him the oatmeal!" She laughed. "We'll try next month..."

A month later...

Frances had just come out of the local mercantile after buying a gift for Fred for their very first wedding anniversary that was the next day. She saw Fred loading boxes into the iron factory a long ways away...Well, now he was talking to a stout, shorter woman. Frances wondered who she was and was about to go up to them, when she saw...something...that shocked her. Fred had excitedly wrapped his arms around the woman and kissed her cheek. The woman clung to him and also kissed him. Frances wasn't quite sure what that was all about, and didn't want to jump into conclusions...but she knew she must get Fred's gift home and pick up Freddy from Joe and Nona's place. They wanted to be used to being around babies, so they offered to watch him for her, this being their first time.

"How was he, Nona? Was he good for you?" Frances asked, when she arrived at their home. "Did you two survive?" She laughed.

"He was good...Yes...We survived,...I think." Nona said, a little shocked. "We do want kids...just a few more years down the road, please...I can't say we're ready now." Nona laughed a little. "I have a lot to learn yet!...So does Joe."

"Little thing peed on me!" He muttered. "I can't help it I've never changed a diaper before! I tried my best!" Joe insisted, and looked down at his shirt and saw the large, fresh wet spot. "How was I supposed to know to cover his..." Joe didn't finish his sentence, because Nona was laughing at him. "Go change your shirt, Joe."

"Don't worry,...I will!" Joe said, going upstairs to their bedroom.

"Really Frances...Freddy was just fine. We're just too inexperienced!" Nona laughed.

"You'll learn..." Frances smiled. "Fred and I did!...And we've only been at this four months!...Anyway, I've got to get going. Have to get Fred's present home..." Nona gave her nephew back to his mother. "Did you have fun with Uncle Joe and Aunt Nona? Huh?" Frances smiled and asked 4 month old Freddy, who responded with the cutest litttle baby grin!

"He was such a little sweetheart, really!" Nona smiled. "But these two 20 year olds need some more time!"

Frances smiled and gave her sister-in-law a one-armed hug. "Like I said, you'll learn...Practice makes perfect, you know...Well, I've got to get going...See you in church!" And with that, Frances left.

Once home, Freddy immediately started crying and squirmmed in her grasp.

"Oh, its okay...Its all right." Frances smiled and held him and swayed side to side to try and calm him..."I bet you're just SO tuckered out from being at Uncle Joe and Aunt Nona's..." Frances couldn't calm him down, he was still fussy. "Oh Lord, you need a nap...don't you, buddy? We'll take care of that right away..." She said, walking into her sitting room and layed him in his cradle that was against one wall, FAR away from her sewing machine and sewing equipment, which was against the wall by the kichen door. As she got Freddy settled, she went into the kitchen and went about her work, starting to get supper on the table so when Fred came home, it would be ready. She was starting to get the table all set when she glanced at the kitchen table and saw an open letter. She saw it was adressed to Fred. Frances knew she shouldn't snoop, but she sat down and started reading the letter.

_"My Dearest Fred,_

_I am sorry to say that my husband Daniel and I are currently separated. I won't go too much into it but to be truthful I must tell you, my heart aches terribly...but I know I must move on in life. I must! I can't stay with him anymore...I just can't. And so I've packed up the little things I do have and I've moved to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. I've fit right in in this little town...and I've gotten to know the people fairly well. One family, the Ingallses says they know you...and their daughter Laura gave me your address. Says she got it from her older sister Mary. _

_Which brought me to writing you this letter, my dear. I must say I've missed you something aweful! I haven't seen you since...I can't remember when! Since we were young children, I believe. I don't even know if I remember what you look like! It took me weeks...possibly months for me to write you this letter, and I STILL haven't gotten my point across! Which brings me to say, I'd love to come to Iowa and see you...or you could come to Minnesota. I know the Ingalls family would LOVE to see you again!_

_I've missed you so very much, my dearest...So much, my heart aches for you! I love you so much and miss you with all of my heart, my dear Fred, and I hope to see you soon!..._

There was even more to the letter, but Frances just couldn't read anymore...She glanced down to see who the letter was from when she saw the closing of the letter. _"With All My Love, Barbara Guess." _There were tear stains on the letter, not only from the writer of the letter, but also from Frances. Certain parts of the letter stood out to her. "_My Dearest Fred...I've missed you something aweful!...I've missed you so very much, my dearest...So much my heart aches for you!...I love you so much and miss you with all of my heart, my dear Fred!...With All My Love...Barbara Guess..." _

_"_Barbara Guess..." She said out loud and thought back to early this morning when she saw Fred and the shorter woman embracing and the kisses they gave and were given. _"I don't want to believe this...I can't...There's no way. This can't possibly be! He can't be cheating on me!"_ Frances thought. She heard the front door swing open and heard Fred come through the sitting room, and into the kitchen, and quickly Frances hid the letter in the fabric of her skirt.

"Hey, sweetheart..." Fred said, placing his hands on her thin shoulders and kissed her cheek. "I'm home for supper a little early...That all right with you?" He smiled at her.

"Ummmm...s-sure...Perfectly fine...I'll get it on the table for you right away." Frances said and stood up and walked to the woodstove, got his supper dished up on his plate, grabbed a cup and poured him his coffee, stirring in his milk and sugar as he always took it. Fred grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto him into an embrace. To him it was a soft and loving moment, but Frances felt forced by him a little...all she could do was stare into his grayish blue eyes. "You do way too much for me...I'll take over from here." He smiled and kissed her on the lips. He let her go and she smoothed her skirt and straightened her blouse.

"I'll go check on the baby..." Frances said as she heard Freddy crying and rushed off into the next room.

"Hmm...What's this?" Fred mumbled and saw a piece of paper on the floor. "My letter from Barbara...Must've dropped it." He said, and picked up the letter and put it in his trouser pocket.


	35. Chapter 35

That same night, Ma and Pa Gruber, George Jr, John, Melania and Mary Jane were all sitting around the kitchen table having supper...All were talking about the day's events, until Melania spoke up about something entirely different.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gruber...John...George." She said looking at each of them...and when she and George Jr. made eye contact, he smiled at her...and Melania smiled a little, but looked down and then quickly looked up again..."I think its high time for Mary Jane and I to be getting a place of our own...We've stayed here with you for four months now...To which we are very greatful...but we just can't..." She started to say.

"We're not just going to let you both leave!" Franziska said. "Besides, we LOVE having you in our home! You're family!"

Melania smiled a little..."Well, Mary Jane is...but I'm not."

"And does that matter to us?" George Jr. spoke up. "No! It doesn't!"

"Yeah, you're like a sister, Melania!" John said...and smirked at George Jr. He gave him back a look like, "Shut up! Why'd you tell her that? And why are you looking at ME?"

"I still think it would be better if we had our own place...And its not like we'd be leaving the country!" She laughed a little..."Mary Jane and I could live at the boarding house or somewhere like that...I know Mr. West's old place is vacant now...I could work, save up the money..."

"I said you could two could stay as long as you needed to...I meant what I said, Melania." Big George Gruber said. "My word is good."

"I know that, Mr. Gruber...but I think its just time to be by ourselves...We can't stay with you forever you know!"

"Well, you're an independant woman, Melania...we can't force you to stay here with us...but please, just think about staying awhile longer with us...like my wife said, we love having you here...and you're like family...Besides! Mary Jane IS our granddaughter! You couldn't take away our privelege of being her grandparents! Now, could you?"

_"Yes...LIKE family. Not actually part of the family."_ Melania thought and didn't want to say anything more on the subject, for fear of starting a HUGE argument.. "I'm finished with supper...I think I'll be heading up to bed, if you'll excuse me, please." She said rising from her seat at the table. She turned to her daughter. "Mary Jane...When you're finished, I want you to come upstairs to bed as soon as possible, you have school tomorrow, you know."

"Yes Ma." Mary Jane said, finishing up the last of her supper.

"Well, good night all." Melania knodded, and headed upstairs.

"Ma...Ma..." Mary Jane whispered into the night. Both mother and daughter were sharing the same bed. "Ma. Are you awake?" The ten year old asked, cuddling up to her mother.

"Yes...sweetheart...I'm awake..." She whispered.

Mary Jane was silent for a few moments, and then something in her made her ask a question. "Do you like Pa?"

"Yes. Of course I like your Pa." She laughed.

"No...I mean...do you like him, like him...I saw the way you were looking at each other tonight at supper, Ma."

"Mary Jane, can we not talk about this, please?" Melania said, turning over on her side.

"Oh Ma, admit it! You have a crush on Pa! And he has a crush on you too!" Mary Jane said in a sing-songy voice. "...and you must've at one time! You had me!" She smiled.

"Mary Jane!" She raised her voice at her daughter. "I told you I didn't want to talk about this! You shouldn't have asked me in the first place!...Go to sleep...Now." Melania snapped at her.

Tears welled up in the 11 year old's brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Ma...I...I didn't mean..." She began.

"Its all right, Mary Jane...I'm sorry I yelled at you. But when I don't want to talk about something...you need to respect that, okay?"

"Okay..." Mary Jane quietly said.

"Now, please...Just go to sleep, will you? You know you have school in the morning."

"Yes Ma." Mary Jane said, and rolled over and went to sleep.

Melania stayed up awhile that night. All you could hear was her soft breathing, but what you couldn't hear was that she was weeping..."_Have you ever heard of such a thing?...Your own DAUGHTER asking you if you have a little crush on her PA? Because you aren't MARRIED to him in the first place!" _Her tears seemed to flow now and she covered her face with the pillow so no one would hear her crying_. "Well, Melania...that's what you get for being a Jezebel!...You're reaping what you've sown, now aren't you?" _Melania thought. "You knew it would all catch up with you someday..." She whispered to herself.

Frances COULDN'T stop thinking about Fred...and that letter, which she found again in Fred's trousers while she was doing the laundry and she stuffed it into her skirt pocket...Most of all, she couldn't stop thinking about that woman she saw him hugging in front of the iron factory! Turns out, she met the woman at the mercantile the next day.

"So I hear you're Barbara Guess?" Frances said, with a twinge of attitude in her voice.

Barbara was still polite, even though she wasn't quite sure what her problem was..."Sure am...And who might you be?" She smiled, extending her hand, but Frances refused to shake it.

"Frances Lay...Fred Lay's WIFE...I found the letter you wrote him." She said, crossing her arms, and glared at her.

Barbara's eyes lit up in an excited manner. "Oh! So you wouldn't mind him coming to Minnesota?" She was about to say more, but was interuppted.

"I WOULDN'T MIND?" Frances shouted..."What? You want him to come up there?...So you can have him ALL to yourself!"

"What?"

"Don't think I'll just let some woman waltz right in and take MY husband from me! If you think so...OH, you've got another thing comin'!"

"Frances...I don't understand what you're talking about!..."

"Oh, don't try and play sweet and innocent with me, lady! I can see right through your little act!"

"W-what act?" Barbara questioned.

"Don't play dumb with me!...You know what's going on!" And with that, Frances started pounding on Barbara...at one point, she had her down on the ground and was just letting her have it! They were rolling around in the dust, fighting, scratching, kicking screaming!...All the townspeople just stood around the two women and watched...SHOCKED as could be! Until Franziska spotted them and saw what was going on...and she ran over, yanked her daughter away...and Fred went out from the crowd and came over to Barbara...

"Oh sure!...You'll go to HER and not you're own wife!...You're cheating on me!...I guess what you said a year ago TODAY didn't mean anything to you! Did it?...DID IT!" Frances shouted and started bawling. "EVERYTHING we're supposed to have together! It means absolutely NOTHING to you! The love we share!...Well, I THOUGHT we shared!...Our BABY!...It all holds NO importance in your life whatsoever!...I guess I was wrong to marry you! And I wish I knew then what I know now! You're nothing but a cheater!" She screamed at him.

"HOLD YE YOUR PEACE!" Franziska shouted at her daughter.

"What?" Frances shouted.

"Its the Biblical way of saying SHUT UP! So do it!...That's enough now, Frances!...Let's get home right now and we can get to the bottom of this!"

"Don't say you two don't know what this is all about!...I know an affair when I see one!" Frances shouted at both her husband and Barbara. They were sitting around the kitchen table at Fred and Frances' place.

"Affair?" Barbara exclaimed.

"I read the love letter you wrote him! Don't try and deny it!" Frances was almost in tears again.

"Love letter?" Fred questioned. "She never wrote me a love letter!...She's my..." He began.

"Then what's THIS?" Frances yelled, holding up the letter Barbara wrote to Fred. She turned to Barbara. "I read it!...You said you miss him something aweful!...You called him dear! And dearest! You said you missed him so much your heart aches for him...You said you love him with all of your heart! If that's not a love letter, then I don't know what is!"

"Honey..."

"Oh, don't you honey me!" Frances snapped at him.

"Frances!...Barbara is my SISTER!" Fred raised his voice at her.

"But I saw you two in front of the iron factory! Hugging...KISSING! Let me tell you! You don't kiss your sister like THAT!"

"Sweetheart, I don't know WHAT you saw...but it was just a little peck on cheek! It was harmless!...I'm serious! She's my older sister! She's a year older than I am...I hugged her like that and gave her a kiss on the cheek because...I couldn't believe it was HER! I haven't seen her in years! Since I was 3 or 4 years old, I think."

"But the letter!" Frances exclaimed. "I could've sworn it was a love letter! It sure sounds like one!"

"Did you read the WHOLE letter?" Barbara questioned.

"Well...No..." Frances said.

"Well, THAT explains it!...Read the rest of the letter! You'll find its most definetly NOT a love letter!" Barbara chuckled and looked at Fred. Who had a look on his face. "Oh, you know I love you!...You're my baby brother!" She smiled and patted his cheek.

Fred flashed a smirky type of smile at his older sister, and looked at his wife. "I know how it could've looked like...I hope you would've known I'd NEVER cheat on you...When I married you...I found a real treasure!" He smiled, and put his arm around her.

Frances had the letter in her hands and was reading the rest of it.

_"Our dear brother Leonard, his wife Bridget and their daughters Anna and Elisabeth are doing quite well...They are still living in Germany...Anna is 11 years old and Elisabeth is 10...Such sweet little girls! They told me before I left Germany they wish they could see you again! They sure have missed you!_

_I feel I must bring this long letter to a closing soon, or it might go on forever, my dear younger brother! I love you with all of my heart and I miss you just the same...I know I've said so before, but I feel I can't say it enough! I feel it is better to tell your loved one how much you love them while they're alive, for someday...they won't be. How sad a thought, but a happier thought is that if the said loved one accepted Christ as Saviour...something which I hope you've done in your life, Fred. Both Leonard and I have...We prayed for you! Not a day passed where we didn't pray or think about you, my brother! We prayed the Good Lord would keep you safe and secure in life, and that you would someday come to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ!_

_I know me writing this letter won't make up for the years we spent apart, my dear brother...both Leonard and I felt growing up, like there was something missing in our lives...and that missing thing was you, Fred! Sure we each wrote you letters as children...but it still was not the same as actually being with you and seeing you face to face...and I know my heart would rejoice when a letter from you would come! I'm sure for our older brother Leonard as well...My heart just broke when the letters from you stopped. We never knew what happened to you! _

_Well, goodbye for now, my wonderful brother!...I surely do hope we can meet one another again in the near or perhaps distant future. And if not in this earthly life, but hopefully we shall see each other again in Heaven someday._

_With All My Love,_

_Barbara Guess_

"She really is your sister." Frances stated. "Well, don't I feel...foolish. Stupid. Stupid me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself...It was an easy mistake on your part...and mine." Barbara said. "Maybe I should be careful how I write my letters from now on!" She laughed.

Frances started laughing.

"What?" Barbara questioned.

Frances kept laughing...She couldn't stop! She couldn't even say one single word. Soon, she finally calmed down a little and was able to talk. "I...I can't believe I practically beat up my own sister-in-law...and...and didn't even know it!" She said tilting her head back, as she was still laughing.

"Talk about a first impression!" Fred chuckled.

"Oh, she impressed me all right!...Straight into the ground!" Barbara laughed.

"I'm so sorry about that!" Frances apoligized.

"Its all right...Just shows me to NEVER get on your bad side!"

"Don't worry...I'm usually nice to someone who's family!" Frances smiled...putting an arm around her sister-in-law. "Well,...except for this one time, but I can assure you...it WON'T happen again!"

"I sure hope so!" Barbara laughed.

**A/N: Barbara Lay Goss was Fred's sister. I didn't know her last name was Goss until I read it in one of Frances' diaries...My grandpa had thought Barbara's last name was either Guess, or Gass, or something like that but was unsure of the spelling. Easy mistake.**

**I did not know what Barbara's husband's name was, so I had picked out a random name. Still don't know what his name was.**


	36. Chapter 36

"Fred..." Frances said with a puzzled look on her face.

"Yeah hon?"

"You said you haven't seen Barbara since you were a child...but you went back to Germany six years ago! Didn't you?"

"Yeah...I did. Saw Leonard and his family...but not Barbara."

"Yes...but Barbara said she lived there too!"

"Well, I did. That year, I married Daniel...He took me traveling different places for our first few years together...he's a businessman. We got back to Germany eventually and Leonard told me you moved to the States, Fred. New Jersey or somewhere like that."

"Moved to Pennsylvania first...then to Walnut Grove, Minnesota for a year...then to New Jersey, and then on to Iowa." Fred smiled.

"Walnut Grove!" Barbara exclaimed. "Well, isn't it a small world! So THAT's how they know you!"

"Yeah...How are the Ingalls doing?"

"Oh, they're just grand!...You know Mary's grown up and married. Laura, she's 17 now. She will be getting married soon, I believe in August, they said,...a nice young man named Almanzo Wilder is her fiance."

"Wow...hard to imagine little Laura that old already!"

"I know..."

"How's Carrie?...Gosh, last time I saw her she was about 4 years old,...maybe 5."

"I think she's 8 or 9 now, Fred. Maybe 10." Barbara said. "I'm not quite sure how old she is, exactly...She looks so young for her age!"

"Always was a cute little thing."

"Oh yes...and little Grace is about 4 now I'd say...Albert. He's 16. He wants to become a doctor someday, he said."

"Grace?...Albert?...Woah now, who are they?" Fred chuckled.

"They didn't tell you?...They adopted Albert Quinn, an orphan boy from Winoka."

"Okay...and who's this Grace?"

"Their youngest biological daughter."

"Well, how nice...Charles and Caroline had another baby." Fred smiled.

"Anybody else you want to know about?"

"I hate to ask...but how's Nellie?" Fred smirked.

"Nellie Oleson's doing wonderful! Met and married a young man named Percival Dalton! They've been married a few months now."

"Is she still the same old Nellie?"

"Same old Nellie?" Barbara questioned.

"She was horrible. A monster! Demon child!" Fred said...but then started to laugh.

"Nellie? I don't think so!" Barbara said, shaking her head. "Not Nellie."

"I bet marriage has mellowed her." Fred laughed. "That's good!"

They all heard the baby crying in the next room, and Fred stood up.

"No...I'll get him, honey." Frances said and sprinted into the next room. "Its all right, Freddy...Ma's here." Frances smiled. "Oh you're okay...Stop your crying now, you're fine!" He immediately stopped crying as soon as her heard her voice. She smiled and kneeled down at his cradle and watched him as he began to play with his feet. "Well, look at you!" Frances chuckled. "Are you having fun there, Freddy?" She picked him up and let him lay on his stomach on the floor to see what he would do. He was beginning to push himself up, yet only by his elbows, but he was still that happy, smiley baby as always!

"You're such a smiley boy!...Such a smiley boy!" Frances smiled and watched him as he flapped his hands on the floor and laughed and smiled. "Who's my boy?...Huh? Who's my boy?...Freddy's my boy." She smiled and got closer so she was face to face on the floor with him. Freddy's little, chubby hands grasped at her face and eventually tugged out a strand of hair from her bun.

"You little stinker..." She laughed..."You wanna play with my hair, do you?" Frances let her hair unroll so Freddy could feel the texture of it, but he wanted to do MORE than just feel it!

"Ow...don't pull Ma's hair now!" She chuckled, and uncurled his little hands from her pretty reddish-brown hair. "Let's go meet your Aunt Barbara..." Frances smiled, picked him up and took him into the kitchen.

"New look, honey?" Fred laughed, as he saw her wavy auburn hair, cascading half-way down her back and slightly deshevilled, all thanks to Freddy.

"Well, aren't you just soooooo funny!" Frances laughed. "Sure Fred...Want me to wear it like this more often?" She joked.

"I think you look great however your hair is." Fred smiled. "You're just perfect."

Frances smirked. "No one's perfect, Fred...Bible even says, _There is none righteous. No, not one_...and _For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God_. Look them up." She chuckled.

"I have, hon...They're both in Romans." He smiled. "And you know what I meant."

Frances sat down at the table, with Freddy on her lap, who was holding his head up easily, but then he would just lean back against his mother's body. "Are you being lazy?" Frances laughed. "C'mon...I know you can sit up!"

"Well, isn't he just the cutest little thing!...What's his name?" Barbara smiled.

"Fred George Lay..." Frances smiled. "I call him Freddy."

"Such an adorable little fella!" Barbara smiled at him. "Is he talking yet?"

"Not much." Frances chuckled. "Just vowel sounds...He did say a few ba's the other day though." Her eyebrows furrowed, but then she smiled at him. "Didn'tcha?...Yeah." Frances smiled and placed a kiss on his small forehead.

"Awwww...He just thinks he's a little sheep..." Fred said.

"Oh how wonderful...My son,...the sheep-boy." She said sarcastically. To which they all laughed. With Freddy smiling, though of course not knowing what they were laughing at.

"He is just too precious!...May I hold him, please?"

"Of course!" Frances smiled and gave Freddy to Barbara.

"You're just too precious!" Barbara smiled at Freddy who beamed his adorable, little, baby smile up at her. "Aren't you?...You're so precious. Yes." Barbara started playing peek-a-boo and other baby games with him...and Freddy would smile and laughed his little heart out! He was having a good old time with his Aunt Barbara!

Two months later...

Supper had just been eaten at the Gruber household, and Mary Jane and Melania were clearing the table and doing the dishes together afterwards.

"Mary Jane..." Melania said, as she was washing a plate in the old washtub.

"Yes Ma?" Mary Jane picked up a rinsed plate and started to dry it.

"I've gotten a job...with the railroad company. Freight trains are what they manufature and run...You know that huge brick building a few blocks from here?"

"Yes Ma...Grandpa said it was a brewing company."

Melaina sighed. "Yes,...it was." She wasn't so thrilled that Mr. Gruber was teaching her daughter things of that sort. "But now its the H&W building."

"What does that stand for?"

"Just two men's last names...They're the founders of the company."

"Oh...okay."

"My shift there is well planned out...when you're in school, I'll be working there."

"What if school is cancelled? What happens then?"

"Your Grandpa and Grandma will be home to watch you while I'm gone...Don't worry! I'm not going to leave you all alone, sweetheart!" Melania laughed, hugging her daughter and kissed the top of her head.

"And Pa and Uncle John will be here too!...I don't need to worry about anything!" Mary Jane exclaimed.

"Exactly right!" Melania smiled.

"Have you told Grandma and Grandpa that you'll be working?"

"No...but I'll tell them soon."

"Tell us what, now?" Franziska said as she and her husband came into the room. Melania jumped as Franziska's voice startled her.

"Oh I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to scare you, Melania."

"Its all right."

"So, what did you want to tell us?" She asked. John and George Jr. came in from the barn, after putting the horses up.

"Well, uh...ummmm...I've gotten a job, everyone." Melania stammered. "Haas & Wissel freight company...I'm going to be one of their secrataries...I'll be working while Mary Jane is in school...until about 5 in the evening...I can be back before suppertime, so I can still help you in the kitchen, Franziska."

"It looks like your mind's made up...Its really what you want to do?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am...I think it would be good for me...I can use the money to buy a place for Mary Jane and I...That might take a few months, of course."

Franziska sighed. "Well, at least we'll have you in our home for a little while longer then..."

"I'll bring her over to visit as much as you want...You are her grandparents after all...And her uncle..." She smiled at them, and at John..."And her father." Melania lastly smiled at George Jr. He had a look on his face she was puzzled over and couldn't quite place. George Jr. didn't say a word, but walked out the door. He needed some time alone, so he went for a walk on this nice June evening.

"George...honey..." Franziska said and followed her oldest child as he walked out the front door, and it was slammed in her face.

Big George put his hands on his wife's shoulders..."Let him think things through..."He whispered.

"What's the woman's problem?...We've opened up to her! We've let her stay here in our home! And she just wants to throw it all away?...She just wants to get out of here! Get away from us. So she doesn't need to listen to nobody! Don't have to be told what to do." George Jr. was talking to himself, and kicked a rock on the ground and it went flying. "That gal's fiesty! I know that!...Maybe she just has a problem with submitting to folks...Problem with authority. That's it." George Jr. looked up at the sky, the sun beginning to set. "Or maybe she just wants to get away from...me." He said to himself and sighed.

_"Lord, I know I've strayed an aweful lot...Haven't talked to You in...a long while. Been doing what I wanted to do...Living my life the way I wanted...If ya can still hear me...I know...I never really confessed what we did. I knew You already knew...You know all...You see all. I admit it was wrong now...Sure didn't feel wrong! But it is...Lord, You know this black heart of mine! You know I want to make this right somehow...Its in Your hands. I know You'll take care of this..." _And with that, George Jr. ended his prayer with an amen, and continued his walk.

That same night, Fred and Frances were at their home, having a late supper.

"I'm so sorry, Fred!...About not getting supper on the table soon enough!" She said, dishing up their plates and setting them on the table, alongside their coffee.

"Hey now, am I complaining?...Am I yelling at you?" Fred said.

"Well no...but I figure I should have supper ready at a certain time!...I've just been so busy lately!"

"I know...And according to me, I haven't been helping out like I should..."

"Oh no...Fred, you're fine! You come home from the factory in the afternoon,...and then you're outside, plowing the fields until suppertime!...You're always so tired! You deserve to rest! Its my fault!...I'm not..."

"Now stop that!...You're doing just fine! I think you're working too hard as it is...You need sometime to rest, yourself!...Let me take care of things tonight..." He smiled at her.

"Fred, its my job..."

"Just let me help you...I can watch over Freddy tonight while you're cleaning up the kitchen...C'mon Frances...I want to be a good husband." He smiled at her.

She leaned over from where she was sitting at the table and kissed him. "You already are...Don't you worry." Frances smiled.

"It just want to help you out."

"If you must!" Frances laughed. "Now, will my wonderful husband say a word of prayer for our meal?...Before I eat part of the table!" Frances laughed.

"You do need more fiber in your diet, hon." He chuckled.

"Oh, shut up and pray, Fred John!" Frances laughed.

"Will do...Franziska Katherine." Fred smiled and took her hand, and they bowed their heads as he prayed for their meal.

"Freddy's up...I'll get him." She said, getting up from her spot and went into her sitting room.

"Frances!"

"Don't worry!...I'm coming back!" Frances laughed, sticking her head in the doorway. And walked off and soon returned to the kitchen with the 6 month old in her arms. She sat down and placed Freddy on her lap and she began to eat her supper.

Frances litfed a spoonful of mashed sweet potatoes to her mouth...and Freddy kept eyeing it as it would pass from the plate to her mouth. He reached his little hand out and grabbed the spoon at one point.

"Freddy, no sir..." Frances chuckled. "You won't get this stuff for awhile, I think." She continued eating again, but he decided to grab at her spoon again.

"No sir!" She said with a stern, but kind, voice.

"Oh c'mon, Frances!...Give him a little bite! It won't hurt him!" Fred chuckled.

"Oh all right..." She smirked at him, and scooped up a little spoonful and fed it to Freddy.

"Is that yummy?" Frances smiled at him, waited for him to swallow his first bite and fed him another bite and scooped up the little bit that was sliding down his chin. Freddy made a face at the sweet potatoes...and started to cry and wouldn't take another spoonful of it.

"He is NOT liking the sweet potatoes!" Frances laughed.

"Try giving him some of your sauerkraut...Maybe he'll like that."

"It needs to be cooled down and mashed up a little more." She said, and did so and waited for it to cool down.

"Well, I'll be darned!...He likes it!" Fred exclaimed as Frances was feeding him the sauerkraut. "Good boy!...Taking a liking to German food!...That's my boy!" He laughed.

"I guess I'll be making a lot more German food than usual from now on!" Frances smiled, and ate a bite of her slice of ham. Freddy was eyeing that as well.

"Oh, no sir!...This you're not getting!...This is mine." Frances said.

Big crocodile tears flooded Freddy's eyes and he began to cry again.

"Now stop that! You're fine!...You'll just have to settle for the sauerkraut."

"Wouldn't want him to choke." Fred said.

"Exactly."

"Here, I'll take him." He said, reaching for him, and Frances placed Freddy into Fred's arms.

"Snicklefritz!...Hey Snicky!" Fred smiled at Freddy, who was no longer crying and had calmed down.

"Was Aufruf gerade unser Sohn?" Frances asked him in German. She said with laughter in her voice. In English, it meant, "What did you just call our son?"

"Snicklefritz...Pennsylvania Dialekt...Seine eine Form der Zärtlichkeit, Honig..." He spoke in German back to her. They only did this when they were alone. Frances thought it was a little impolite to speak it in public, and it was also a special thing between them...What Fred said in German, in English it meant, "Snicklefritz...Pennsylvania dialect...Its a form of endearment, honey..."

"Snicklefritz bedeutet ein Rowdy Kind, Fred...Wer, in Mischeif wird. Nun, wir weiß nicht, ob er Rowdy ist, aber wenn er so etwas wie sein Vater, er alle Boy sein, werde wenn er älter!" Frances said and began to laugh...in English it meant, "Snicklefritz means a rowdy child, Fred...One who gets into mischeif. Now, we don't know if he's rowdy, but if he's ANYTHING like his father, he'll be all boy when he gets older!"

"He needs a new nickname. Can't be called Freddy for the rest of his life!"

"Fred, he's only 6 months old!" She chuckled..."Besides, I like calling him Freddy. Its my nickname for him." Frances smiled.

"Well, then Snicklefritz will be MY nickname for him!" He laughed.

"How about Fritz instead?" Frances said. "I like the sound of that better."

"Okay, Fritz then...But I still get to call him Snicklefritz."

Frances laughed. "You and only you, honey...You can call him Snicklefritz."

**A/N: H&W was a trucking company. The building and sign is still there, but is no longer in use. I believe they store some of the Swiss Valley milk trucks there now...Anyway, I had to change it for my story to a railroad freight company, because I don't think they had freight trucks back then in the 1800's! lol. But still, its the same idea, they ship freight across Iowa and the neighboring States...Here is an article about the REAL H&W company...H & W MOTOR EXPRESS Company. Urban J. Haas and Cyril Wissel founded H & W Motor Express on September 26, 1927. The company was a one-truck operation running between Dubuque and Chicago. At the time of Haas' death in 1961, the company with 280 employees was a $3 million business operating in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and with connections from coast-to-coast and Canada. With the leadership of Wissel and later Urban "Skip" Haas, the company grew through the 1970s and 1980s. At one time, the company had 543 employees and 900 trucks. H & W regularly ran freight to Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City, and St. Louis with stops all over Iowa. The building used formerly by the Dubuque Brewing and Malting Company became the H & W Building.**

**The H&W Company may be a reaccuring thing in my story, so keep your eyes peeled! Watch for it! lol.**

**Fred George Lay's nicknames were actually Freddy and Fritz. I believe Fritz means Fred in German anyway, so I think that's why they called him Fritz.**

**Fred never saw either of his siblings in person. They kept in touch through letters and sent pictures...Both Barbara and Leonard lived out their days in Germany, I believe.**


	37. Chapter 37

Fred came home from work one June afternoon and heard Freddy wailing his little lungs out in the sitting room...

"What's the matter, buddy?" Fred asked him cheerfully as he came into the house and entered Frances' sitting room. Fred stopped dead in his tracks. There he saw Frances holding their 6 month old son in her arms, tears streaming down her face as well.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't get him to stop crying, Fred!" She wailed. "I've tried everything and I don't know what's wrong with him! He just keeps crying and crying!...He seems like he's in a lot of pain! I don't know what to do!"

"Want me to get the doc?"

"Fred, we don't really have the money right now!...Go get Ma, she'll know what to do with him..."

Fred was out the door as soon as you could blink an eye, and ran up the hill as fast as his legs could carry him! He saw her in the backyard in the summer kitchen, starting to get things ready for the night's supper.

"Franziska!...FRANZISKA!" Fred yelled as he was running over to her. "FRANZISKA!"

"What in Heaven's name is wrong, Fred?" She said, and went to him and held him by his strong shoulders as he calm down, he was almost in tears as it was.

"Something's wrong with Freddy!"

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know!...Frances doesn't know! All she told me was that he won't stop crying, he's in pain, she thinks..."

"Where?"

"WE DON'T KNOW!" He shouted.

"All right, just CALM DOWN!...I'll be right over!"

"Ma! I'm so thankful you're here!" Frances was bawling and her mother could hardly understand her! "I thought I was getting the hang of this whole mother thing!...But I don't know what's wrong with him, except he's got a really high fever! I'm scared!"

"Here, I'll take him, and go get a little rag and run it under cold water. We can bring the fever down..." She said, taking her grandson. Freddy didn't want to be held at all, and he was still crying his little eyes out! He lifted his head back and Franziska noticed something on his gums...two tiny, little, white things on his bottom jaw, right in the middle.

"Frances, he's only teething...That's why he's so irritable...and part of the reason he has so high of a fever!"

"What can we do about it?" Frances cried.

"Give me the rag..."

Franziska let little Freddy chew on the wet rag, and that seemed to help. They also got another wet rag and they brought his fever down, and soon he was just fine and dandy.

"I swear, Frances...You overreact too much." Her mother laughed.

"Well, what do you expect me to do, mother? Not care at all about what my child is going through?...I was scared! Terrified for him! I didn't know what was going on!" Frances raised her voice at her mother.

"You don't have to get an attitude with me, young lady! And don't call me mother!...I hate that and you know it!"

"I'm sorry...I was just so scared, Ma!"

"I know you were, sweetheart...Just calm down! I'm just saying, you always think everything is the end of the world!"

"I do not!" Frances insisted.

"Sweetheart..." Franziska laughed. "I'm not going to argue with you...Calm down, honey...Here, take your baby!" Franziska smiled, passing him over to her. "He's absolutely fine!"

"I was so scared, Ma!" Frances said, almost clinging to Freddy, who was still chewing on the washcloth.

"He's gonna scare y'all more times than this, honey! Just think when he takes the buckboard out for the first time!" She laughed. "Or when he's climbing a tree out back, falls and breaks an arm or a leg!"

"Ma!...I'd rather not think about that right now!"

Franziska laughed. "My point is, you better get ready! 'Cause he's going to scare you an aweful lot in his lifetime!"

Very early the next morning, Melania was to start her new job at the H & W Company. She was upstairs in the room she and her daughter shared together.

"You look very pretty, Ma." Mary Jane smiled as she saw her mother put the last few finishing touches on her appearance. Bright blue eyes shining, a nice arch on her dark eyebrows. Her brown hair as straight as an arrow, was twisted back into a bun. Melania was wearing a goregeous silver sage blouse, and a long black walking skirt along with black, heeled boots.

"What do you think, Mary Jane?...You're the little wardrobe expert. Vest or no vest, hm?" Melania said to her daughter as she had just put on a little black vest and examined herself in the large dresser mirror.

"I think you look nice without the vest, Ma." Mary Jane said, hugging her mother, only coming to a bit above her waistline. "I love your blouse, Ma! Its SO pretty!" Mary Jane smiled up at her mother, carefully touching a button on the beautiful, silver-gray floral blouse.

"Thank you, sweetheart." She said, smoothing her daughter's brown hair. "Now, you go get your pinafore on, I'll get your hairbrush and we can brush out your hair and braid it, shall we?"

"Yes Ma!" Mary Jane said, tugging on a gray pinafore over her dark blue dress. Melania was sitting on the bed, and she came over and sat down and her mother started brushing out her hair.

"Remember when you were little, Mary Jane?...You were 3 or 4, and I'd brush your hair...well, TRY to brush it!" She laughed. "You kept whining, _Ma! It huuuurts!...You're puwing my hair_!...Ah, that wasn't so long ago, was it?" Melania smiled. "Sometimes I miss those days, when you were that little." Melania put her fingers on her daughter's jawline and stroked it with her fingers..."Remember you were SO ticklish here!...You'd wiggle and giggle your lungs out..." She laughed. "I think you're STILL ticklish!" Melania laughed as Mary Jane kept squirmming and then engulfed in a fit of laughter! "Maa...Ma! Stop it!...Stop, Ma!" Mary Jane turned around and glared while TRYING to keep a straight face. "I'm not ticklish anymore..." She said, as serious as she could be, but then they BOTH burst out laughing! Melania brought her daughter to her in a hug. "You know Ma loves you...You've grown to be such a pretty girl!...My word, I'm getting old!" Melania joked. "...Well, let's braid your hair now." She said, and parted her daughter's hair into two sections and braided two single braids. "There we go! As pretty as a picture!" Melania smiled and gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead. "You all ready for school now?"

"Yes Ma."

"All right then...I'll walk you to the schoolyard."

"I need to get my slate and slate pencil! And my McGuffey Reader!" Mary Jane exclaimed, running across the floor to the little wooden dresser. She grabbed her things, ran downstairs and almost ran into her grandmother as she was fixing the 11 year old's school lunch.

"Goodmorning, pumpkin!" Fransizka smiled. "How does a bacon sandwich sound for today? With an apple and a jar of milk?"

"Yummy!" Mary Jane smiled eagerly.

"Here you are then...Shall I walk you to school?"

"No...Ma's going to. But thanks Grandma..." Mary Jane said, and gave her grandmother a hug.

"Don't I get a kiss goodbye from you?" Big George chuckled.

"Of course, Grandpa!" She smiled and ran to her grandfather. Mary Jane kissed his left cheek, and turned her head so he could kiss hers, she kissed his right cheek, and turned her head again, so he could do the same to her. It was something that they did every single time they greeted each other, or said goodbye. It was a special tradition for both of them.

"You're prickly, Grandpa!" Mary Jane laughed.

Laughter shone from Big George's dark eyes. "Kinda like kissin' a porcupine!...Didn't shave this morning."

"Are we ready to go yet, Mary Jane?" Melania asked, coming downstairs.

"Yes Ma."

"Melania, the East Stone Hill School is out of your way from the H & W building..." Franziska said.

"Oh, I know that...besides, I don't have to be there until 9, and I like taking a little walk every now and then..." With that, Melania and Mary Jane headed out the door and down the hill and started off to the school. They walked down the little hill until they passed the little white house with the blue trimmed porch.

"Can't we go in and visit Uncle Fred and Aunt Frances?...I want to play with Georgie before school!"

"Mary Jane, please don't call him Georgie..."

"Why not? Grandpa calls him Georgie."

"Yes...And your grandfather uses plenty of other words that should never be part of an 11 year old's vocabulary." Melania mumbled. "His name is Fred...Call him either Fred Jr. or Freddy..."

"What about Fritz like Uncle Fred does?"

Melania sighed. "Fine, Mary Jane."

"So can we go in and see them?"

"No...maybe after school." Melania said and they walked right on past the house until they came to the little wooden bridge, they took a left and walked about three or four blocks and passed the bottom of Walker Street...they walked on a few miles until they made it to the school. There were children playing outside and the teacher was on the front steps watching them all. Some boys ran past Mary Jane and her mother and one stopped and chanted..."Mary Jane! What a pain! She ate all the sugarcane!" And ran off...

"Oh, I hate him!" Mary Jane growled and stomped her foot.

"Why?...Why does he say that, Mary Jane?" Melania chuckled.

"Its not funny, Ma!...And that's what's so stupid about it! He just says that because it rhymes with my name!" She rolled her eyes.

"Who was that boy?"

"Him?...That's the Zust boy."

"Well, what's his first name, Mary Jane?"

"I don't know! Sam, Bob, Paul!...Well, one of the apostles' names!"

Melania laughed. "Paul was an apostle. If you count Sam...which is short for Samuel, but he was a prophet...and there weren't any Bob's in the Bible, sweetheart."

"Well, there should be!"

"Why?" Melania laughed.

"Because! Its a neat name! No matter if its backwards, or frontwards...Its still Bob!" Mary Jane giggled.

"You silly girl."

"And anyway, I knew one of 'em was an apostle!"

"I think you need to listen more in Sunday School." Melania laughed.

"All they talk about is Jesus! I already know about Him!"

Melania smiled down at her daughter. "That's good that you know about Him!...And Mary Jane, they talk about more than just Jesus...you do need to listen more." She chuckled. They heard the schoolteacher ringing the large bell to signal that school was to start.

"Ma! Its getting too hot to go to school!" Mary Jane complained.

"Mary Jane, you've kept the windows open and it never bothered you before!...You're going to school!"

"Yes Ma."

"And you be good today! I don't want someone coming to get me at me job, or someone getting your Pa or your..."

"I'll be good, Ma!...Don't worry!" Mary Jane said, running off so she could get in the line with the girls.

Melania watched as the children went inside, girls first and the boys second, and she turned around and started back down the road. She walked the few miles until she passed the little wooden bridge on Peru Road, and walked some more until she came to a VERY large brick building.

"Land sakes!...This place is so big! Looks almost like a castle!...I'm afraid I might get lost on my first day on the job!" She laughed. Melania walked the little gravel road to the building's entrance, and quietly walked inside.

"You must be the new secratary!...Great to have you here!" A young woman greeted her as she came in. "Mr. Haas and Mr. Wissel are in their offices upstairs...They'll want to see you."

"Point me in the right direction, if you will please." Melania smiled.

"Just down the hall aways, and to the right you'll see a staircase. Haas's room is on the left, Wissel on the right. Wissel wants to see you first."

"All right, thank you..." She knodded and set off down the hall, climbed the stairs and knocked on the door on the right.

"Who the Hell is it?" A man's voice bellered.

"Melania Loney...I'm the new secretary."

"Yeah, yeah!...C'mon in!" He yelled back. Melania entered the room and saw an older gray-headed man behind a large desk, looking over dozens and dozens of business papers.

"I'd like to thank you for this job, Mr. Wissel..." Melania started to say...

"Yeah...yeah, sure you do!" He grumbled. "Do you got your papers lady?"

"Yes sir, right here..." She said, laying them down on his mahogany desk.

"More paperwork...Well, that's what I get for starting this business!" He grumbled. Mr. Cyril Wissel scanned the papers...Mumbling out loud every now and then..."Melania Loney...5"6...Small build...Hair: Brown...Eyes: Blue...Age: 27...Relationship Status: Single...Children: 1..." He looked up at her and stared. "You got a kid and you ain't married, lady?"

"Ummm...Yes sir. I do..." Melania cringed, hoping he wouldn't ask about it.

"Bah...none of my business, anyway!"

Melania quickly let a breath out...She was so relieved.

"Take a seat and let's go over some things." He said gruffly.

Melania sat down in the red velvet overstuffed chair. She daintily crossed her legs and put her hands in her lap.

"1. You get crossways with me, Haas, any of the other secrataries that are over you...you're out of here! I can't stand back talk, especially by a woman!...2. You run late, you stay an extra hour later. No exceptions!...3. I know you're single for now, but you get married, and you're out of here!...I think that's all...Now,...out of my sight!...Haas wants to see you now anyway."

"Yes sir..." Melania said quickly and exited out the door. She walked a few steps and knocked on the door that had a plaque on it that said, "Urban J. Haas."

The door soon opened and there stood a kind-looking, dark-haired, dark-eyed young man. He smiled at her, and in the corners of his mouth were dimples that made him seem cute and boyish, and his eyes would squint when he would smile, which, to her, made him look handsome..._very_ handsome!

"Great to have you here working for us." He smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. Haas."

"Oh, you're so formal!...I hate being formal! Call me Urban!...Or "Skip" if you want to. That's my nickname...Besides, you're about my age, 23... You're what? 22? 21 maybe?"

"All right then..." Melania smiled. "And since we're on a first name basis, Urban...My name is Melania...And actually...I'm 27. Last week was my birthday, actually. "

"What a pretty name...And did you just say you're 27? I would've never guessed! You look years younger!...Happy Belated Birthday, by the way..."

"Thank you for all of that." She smiled. "And looking younger...yeah, I know, I get that a lot."

Urban laughed. "I'm just the opposite! People say I look years older!...Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"

"Certainly..." Melania said, taking a seat in the chair. Urban did something which surprised her! The young man, hopped up and sat on his desk instead of his chair! His legs spread apart, back leaning forward, hands on his knees...and at one point, he brought his leg up and placed an ankle on his knee. Melania's eyes went wide!

Urban laughed. "Oh, sorry! Guess I get so used to doing this!...I'm terribly sorry, where are my manners?" He said, swinging his body around and jumped off in front of the chair behind his desk, and sat down himself.

"So I take it Wissel read you all the rules...Yelled at you?"

"Yes sir...he did."

"Ah, ignore him!...He's a cranky old buzzard!" Urban laughed a little. "Don't you tell him I said that!"

Melania laughed at the younger man and they both stood to their feet and he walked around the desk and stood in front of her. Melania saw that he was only a little bit taller than she...About 5"8, maybe 5"9.

"Well, Melania, as I've said before, its great to have you with us." He said, and extended his hand, and Melania shook it. "We'll start you out on the switchboard...you can work your way up from there..." He smiled. "How 'bout it?"

"Sounds fine to me, Urban...Just show me where it is...and show me how to operate the contraption!" She laughed. "I'm afraid I'm not so accustomed to these sort of things...I was afraid to even _look_ at a switchboard while I was living in California!" Melania joked.

Urban's lips turned into a smile, but with the hint of a smirk. "Ah, you'll be all right. Practice at it some, and you'll learn...Rome wasn't built in a day, you know." He smiled at her.

They went downstairs and Urban showed her how to operate the switchboard. "See Melania!...You're doing great at it!...Ah, we've got another call comin' in! Why don't you answer it again?...Don't worry, you'll do great!" Urban smiled at her as she picked up the ear piece and put it to her ear, and Melania picked the mouthpiece and brought it to her mouth and spoke into it.

"H & W Company...You're from the I C & E Railroad...from Mason City...Oh...yes sir, 30,000 pounds of freight...Yes sir, we'll...uh...we'll get started on it as soon as we can, and...and one of our freight trains will be sh-shipping it over to you as...as soon as possible...Yes sir, you're welcome...Goodbye."

"I never want to do that again..." She said, still trying to calm herself down, as she was still nervous.

"Oh c'mon! You did just fine!...Pretty good for someone on their first try." Urban smiled, with his arms crossed against his chest, and his hip leaning against the table part of the switchboard.

Melania smiled shyly up at him. "Thank you...Urban."


	38. Chapter 38

Frances was sitting in the middle of the floor of her sitting room with Freddy on a blanket on a nice, but warm July afternoon. He was begininng to crawl...well, he'd scoot around actually! But he still managed to get his little self around...not far, of course!

She laughed at him. "Well, look at you!...Maybe we should call you "Scooter" instead of Freddy! Huh?" She let him practice his crawling awhile, and played with him with some building blocks Fred had made for him. She would hold it out in front him so he could practice reaching for it and grabbing it. Freddy reached foreward slowly and grabbed at a block.

Frances smiled. "Yay Freddy!...Looks like you're like your Pa! When you try to do something, you pick up on it quick!" She reached her hands on his little face as he looked up at her and Frances leaned in a covered her 7 month old with a few little kisses. Frances went about her housework and let him play awhile and when she came back, he was tiring out and getting a bit fussy! So she put him down for his nap. She let him sleep awhile and carried on with her housework and decided to go outside and see how Fred was doing. She looked out at the fields and didn't see him there and decided that he must be in the barn, so there she went.

"Hey there, farmer...Workin' hard...or hardly workin'?" She teased him as she entered the barn, and saw him up in the loft, with his shirt off, and was hard at work, bailing hay.

"What does it look like?" He chuckled, running a sweaty hand through his now messy, blond hair.

"Looks like you're workin' up quite a sweat!...Wanna take a break? I've got a nice, cold glass of lemonade waitin' inside for you!"

"Sure..." Fred smiled at her. "Bring it out to me, please?" He was laying down on his stomach up in the loft, with his head above the top part of the ladder.

"Of course...Who else would?" Frances said, climbing the ladder part-way and she kissed him. "I'll be back..." She smiled and went to the house. She came back into the barn with the tall glass of ice cold lemonade. Frances climbed the ladder part-way again and gave it to him.

"Is it good?...Not too tangy, you think? Or too sweet? You know how sometimes I overload on the sugar!..." She asked as he was drinking it and Fred titled his head back. "Honey! Slow down!" Frances laughed at him. "You're inhaling it!...Goodness sweetie, it isn't THAT good!" Frances laughed.

"Oh, yeah it is!" Fred smiled. "Hits the spot!" He said, setting the empty glass down on the loft's floor. "Come up here with me?"

"Up there?" Frances laughed.

"Did I stutter?" He chuckled. "C'mon!" Fred said, scooting over a little and Frances climbed up the ladder and joined him.

"My word its hot up here! And I didn't even do any hay-bailing!" Frances laughed as she was beginning to sweat from the July heat.

Fred didn't say anything, but grinned at her.

"Fred John!" She blushed. "I know that look!"

"What look?..." Fred asked putting an arm around her and leaned in and kissed her. Frances soon found her hands on Fred's face, running her slender fingers through his messy blond hair, with his arms around her slim waist, and sooner than she realized Fred was on his back on the loft floor and Frances was on top of him, gazing down at him.

Fred tenderly kissed her on the lips..."I always wanted to make love to you up here..." He whispered.

"Its so hot up here!...We'll overheat!...We're sweating enough already!" She laughed, already breathing a little heavy. Frances climbed off of him and sat beside him. Her arms supporting her.

"We've got a well!...We can cool off later..." A corner of Fred's mouth turned upward in a crooked smile.

"Yeah, I'll shove you down the well!" She laughed, giving him a playful shove.

"Fiesty, aren't you?" Fred laughed.

"You said you like fiesty, remember?"

"That I did." He smiled. "Seriously, being up here won't hurt us..."

"But what about Freddy?..." She whispered, glancing at a piece of the house through the barn door, which was slightly ajar.

"Isn't he down for his nap?...Won't be up till suppertime...Frances." Fred whispered her name seductively, and tried prying back the soft fabric of her blouse, exposing part of her collarbone.

"But up in the hay loft!" Frances whispered. "I think you're getting a little too wild lately!" She laughed.

"What's wrong with it?" He grinned.

She tenderly gave him a soft kiss on the lips and gazed into his gray-blue eyes. "What's right with it?"

"A whole lot." He grinned. "We're married. We love each other...Nothing's wrong with that."

"But what if someone sees us?" She exclaimed.

"Who's there to see?" Fred asked, smirking at her.

"My parents if they come down the hill! One of my brothers!...What if they see? Oh Lord, what if they hear us up here?"

"Let 'em..." Fred whispered and began kissing her neck. Frances tilted her head back as she felt that familiar, yet slightly ticklish sensation of his mouth and lips on her neck..."Ooohhhh mmyyy..." She gasped. "Oh my, I can't believe I'm agreeing to this..."

Fred took that as his signal and began to unbutton her pretty Jasmine flower stripe blouse. Its backround was off-white and was patterned with thin, red and taupe stripes and an inset bib. He slowly undid the gorgeous pewter-like buttons that were on the blouse. She slid off the shirt as Fred was fumbling with the tiny buttons on her brown walking skirt. His larger fingers always had trouble with them, but he used it to his advantage as a slow, sexy movement. Without even thinking about it, Frances let her hands drift to the buttons on his brown canvas high-waisted work pants and she undid them so he could take them off. He soon climbed over her and slipped himself into her and started thrusting. Both of them caressing and kissing and fondling one another as a man and his wife should.

"I...I...I can't believe we're doing this up here!" Frances gasped breathlessly as she almost let out a moan of absolute pleasure.

"Want to stop?...I will if you want me to...I respect you, ya know." He whispered and covered her mouth in a kiss.

"No, don't you stop!...I love you!" Frances said leaning her head against his strong, farm-worked chest. She lifted her head and looked at him and Fred saw a gleam in her deep brown eyes. "Besides, you're just getting started." She said, raising her eyebrows.

"I love ya..." Fred whispered, and kissed her, and covered her whole neck and collarbone with sweet, soft kisses. And so they continued once again. Many 'I love you's' were whispered, and moans and groans were let out till they couldn't any longer.

"I still can't believe we just did that!..." Frances gasped for air after it was all over, laying on top of him, her head resting on his strong chest that was completely covered with golden blond hair. So much that he almost looked like a bear!

"Yeah,...but it was great..." He smiled, wrapping his arms around her.

"It was...You were wonderful, honey." Frances smiled at him.

"So were you...You always are."

She blushed. "Even with my figure like this?...I'm still not down to the weight I was before I had Freddy."

"You're gorgeous...I could look at you all day. Heck, I could make a living out of lookin' at you!" He grinned, raising his eyebrows.

Frances smirked and rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah, right...Well, I'm at 131...a few more pounds to lose and I'll be back to normal...well, almost." She giggled.

"No matter how you look, you're beautiful to me..."

"And I'm attracted to you know matter how you look. I always will be...I love you and that's more important." Frances brought her voice down to a whisper. "Its like I don't even see them anymore,...your scars."

Fred was silent for minutes it seemed.

"Honey..." Frances whispered.

"I forget about them sometimes, myself...but then I look at my arms, my legs, my chest and abs...and I remember...everything. The abuse and the pain...I'm embarrassed to even take off my shirt in front of the men at work..."

"Fred, I'm sorry!...I didn't mean to hurt you by bringing it up like this..." She buried her face in his chest. Fred could feel the tears slide down her cheeks and onto his firm chest. He lifted a hand to her free-flowing auburn hair and gently stroked it. Fred buried his head in the crook of her neck as he embraced her. "Don't you cry. You didn't hurt me...its remembering it that still hurts a little. You'd think I'd be over this already. I'm almost 27 years old...I'm a grown man and I still haven't..."

Frances cut him off quickly. "How could you get over what you've gone through?...I know it isn't so easy, sweetheart. You've been through a lot. A whole lot!"

Fred had his face still buried in the crook of her neck and he kissed her and lifted his face to look at her.

"I'm not saying you need to forgive and forget about it...You'll never forget what Leah did to you. It isn't possible...But you do need to learn to not remember the pain. You'll look at your scars...the memory of it will still be there...but it won't hurt anymore."

"And how do I do that?" He asked solemnly.

Frances said just one single word. "Pray." Her lips formed into a small smile. "Ask the Lord to help you with this...He will. All you have to do is take that first step...or how else will He give you the next?"

Fred was holding her in a tender embrace, her head resting on his chest. "I love you..." He whispered, placing a soft, lingering kiss on her forehead.

Frances reached a hand up to his face and carressed his cheek. "I love you too, Fred John." Slowly, she turned his face to meet hers and their lips met again. She gazed at him and whispered, "Honey, think of it this way...A rotten childhood, makes for a _wonderful_ adulthood..."

"Isn't that the truth!" He grinned.

She leaned forward and kissed him again. One kiss followed by another, and another. And then another one as she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and played with his gorgeous golden blond hair.

Fred kissed her and whispered softly, yet seductively in her ear. "Ready for more?"

"Later." She whispered into his ear and gently kissed it. Frances flashed her signature smirkish smile at him.


	39. Chapter 39

All the windows were open upstairs on a very warm August night, Fred and Frances were sound asleep in their bed, with little Freddy also asleep in his cradle against the wall by the bedroom door. Something made Frances wake up out of sleep.

"Honey..." She whispered, and looked over and saw that he hadn't stirred. "Fred...Fred, wake up!" Frances shook him a little.

"Hmmm...what?"

"Do you smell something?...Like smoke. It smells like smoke!"

Fred turned his attention to outside and got out of bed and ran to the window to get a better look. "The barn's on fire!" He grabbed a pair of brown trousers that were hanging over the bed and tucked his nightshirt into them..."I've got to get the animals out!...I'll be back..." And he raced down the stairs that winded at the bottom, and climbed through the small window that was at the bottom of the stairway. "Glad I put this window in. Knew it would come in handy someday..." He said to himself and ran as fast as he could over to the barn, opened the barn door and ran inside.

"Yah!...C'mon! Let's go!" He yelled as he was shoving their two teams of horses out the door. "C'mon!" He was trying to guide their milk cow out, but she wouldn't budge.

Frances was at the stairway window the whole time and had watched the horses run out through the fields and take off down the road. She was extremely worried now. "He needs help, its either that or..." She stopped herself. She didn't want to think of it. Frances knew her husband could take care of himself in such a situation. He wasn't a moron!

Frances let herself out the window and ran to the burning barn, and braving the flames and the choking smoke, she ran inside. She scanned the inside of the barn and saw her husband struggling to get their cow to move. "C'mon! Move!...You stupid cow! Get out! Move!...C'mon!" She screamed, trying to help her husband in moving the milk cow and getting her out of that burning barn. The smoke was beginning to overwhelm her and she began coughing. "C'mon, move yourself!...You stupid cow!" She screamed in between coughing while pushing the milk cow as hard as she could, trying to guide her outside.

"Frances! Get out of here!" Fred hollered. "Get out! Its no use! She won't move worth anything!...Get yourself out before something happens!"

"But if we just try!" She yelled back at him, and coughed and sputtered and was beginning to gag.

"Get out of here! Now!" He yelled at her, and was coughing just as much as she was!

"You're coming with me!" She said, grabbing him by his nightshirt and the two ran out of the burning barn, which was almost fully engulfed in flames...They both felt their legs starting to give out and both collasped on the bank in front of their little house. Frances was on her knees on the bank still coughing and gagging. She started throwing up right there on the grassy bank. Frances felt her husband's strong arms on her shoulders.

"You all right?"

"I'll be fine..." She said, yet still throwing up. "Are you okay?" Frances asked.

"I'm okay. Miraculously, no scratches, no burns...Just a little frazzled, you know. We're gonna have to let the barn burn to the ground...Its hopeless."

"Fred...You worked so hard on that barn! By yourself!" She exclaimed, leaning her head on his heaving chest. "Can't we just TRY to put the fire out?...If we just TRY!"

"We can't! Its hopeless!...The well's too far away! And we don't have enough hands! Won't be able to get enough water there in time...Besides, I can build another barn...The important thing is we're not hurt." Fred said, wrapping his arms around her.

Their neighbors, a middle-aged couple, the Fylan's, saw the blazing fire and the smoke and rushed over as soon as they could.

"Land sakes! Are you youngin's okay?" Mrs. Fylan exclaimed rushing over to the young couple..."Especially you, deary! You look mighty weak!"

"I'm all right, Mrs Fylan..."

"Now Frances, I told you to call me by my first name! Heaven sake's, I'm your neighbor, you don't need to be so formal!" She laughed. "C'mon, let's get you up and you can come over to our place for a cup of tea. This house of yours is really close to that barn!...And where's your little one?" She questioned her.

"Oh Lord! Freddy!...He's in the house, upstairs!" Frances was driven to tears already and ran into the house. Lorena followed her in. Frances was feeling dizzy still and couldn't really walk straight, so as best as she could, she supported herself and walked along the wall and into her sewing room, through the spare little room leading to the stairway, up the stairs and into their bedroom in the back. Frances quickly grabbed her sleeping 8 month old, and ran back the way she came.

"C'mon...Let's get you over to our place." Lorena said, guiding the younger woman, who was now clutching her son as close as she could without hurting him. "Perry, you know where I'll be...You try and be a help to Fred, now." She said to her husband and walked off down the road with Frances.

"I thank ya, Mr. Fylan...but there's not much we can do...We're gonna have to let it burn down...Too bad of a fire. Won't be able to put it out. Not enough people here that could help!" Fred said, as the two men were out on the road, a distance aways from the burning barn.

"Its a shame..." Perry said. "Nice barn you had there."

"Thanks...I can build another though. That's no trouble."

"Right."

"Surprised the house didn't catch fire." Fred said, his hands on his hips and he kicked at a rock on the ground. He looked back up at his barn that was still burning its way to the ground. And he couldn't do a thing about it.

"Count it as a blessing from the Lord, but lets stay out here awhile and make sure it doesn't." Perry said, slapping Fred on the shoulder.

"Fine with me."

"My my..." Lorena said as she was getting the tea ready. "I know what you're going through, young lady...Perry and I had the same thing happen to us...Lost our barn...our house...and our two year old son, Harvey." She said solemnly, but with a tear streaming down her cheek at the last.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that, Mrs. Fylan..." Frances said solemnly.

"Why thank you...Harvey would've been 22 come, oh May, I believe it was."

"I was born in May..the 23rd."

"Oh how nice!" Lorena smiled. "Harvey's was the 12th." She looked over at Frances who had her son in her arms, he was still fast asleep, leaning to the right side a little. "Well, I'm glad you folks are all right now...Do you want to put the little one down?...I think I've got an old cradle up in the loft."

"That would be wonderful."

"I'll go get it then...You don't mind carved flowers on it, do you?" She laughed. "Was my daughter, Emma's."

"No, I don't mind...That's fine." Frances laughed. Lorena climed the ladder to the loft they hadn't used in ages, and all they used it for now was for storage. She soon returned with the baby cradle. Frances passed little Freddy to her and Lorena placed him in the cradle.

"My Lord, our tea might have to wait! You look so pale, deary. You look like you need to lay down awhile! That door leads to the bedroom."

"Thank you...I believe I will." Frances said. She was feeling quite dizzy still and tried to get up and walk to the little room. Frances got against the wall and dropped to her knees and slumped over, face foreward.

"Good Heaven's!" Lorena exclaimed, rushing over to her. "The poor thing's fainted!" She left Frances there for a moment and ran back outside and called for her husband, who was with Fred.

"Perry! Go get Dr. Clark!"

"What's wrong?" Fred exclaimed.

"Your wife's fainted..."

"Gosh!..." He exclaimed and ran into the Fylan's place, and Mrs. Fylan followed him...with Perry running down the road, across the bridge and took a left and ran down the road, a little past Walker Street and the school, to where the Clark's lived. He came back with the doctor as soon as he could, who examined her.

"I think its just a combination of nerves and dehydration...I think she'll be okay...Just wait for her to come to."

"Thanks, Dr. Clark." Fred shook the middle-aged man's hand.

An hour or so had passed and Frances awakened to the sound of her baby laughing, she recognized a woman's voice and two men's voices. One of which she recognized as her husband's. Turning her head so it was now off of the pillow, her eyes fluttered open.

"Wh-where am I?"

"You're at the Fylan's place."

"Fred?"

"I'm here, honey." Frances heard him whisper and felt his manly hand on her arm.

"The barn caught on fire and we were trying to get the animals out...And then we were on the bank in front of the house...Then I went to get Freddy...That's all I can remember right now..." Frances started to say.

"Yes, honey..." Fred whispered and kissed her cheek. "Mrs. Fylan thought it better for you two to stay at her place, just in case something happened to the house too..."

"The house!" Frances gasped and sat up half-way.

"Its fine...The barn's burned down though."

"You said it would have to. I remember that...Where's Freddy?" She asked, leaning back against the pillow again.

"He's right here with me, young one." Mrs. Fylan smiled. "He woke up early this morning and so I tended to him...Such a little darlin'!...Yes he is!" Lorena smiled at the 8 month old in her arms, who had that adorable little grin on his face!

"Thank you, Lorena." Frances smiled. "Has he been good for you?"

"He's been wonderful, deary...You just lay back down and rest yourself."

Frances smiled weakly and did as she was told. "So what happened again?"

"You fainted, Frances." Fred said.

"Fainted!...I did not! I haven't fainted a day in my life! Its all put on is what that is!"

"Oh you fainted, all right." Lorena said. "Scared me to bits, you did!"

"I'm sorry, Lorena." Frances appoligized.

"That's quite all right, deary...I'm just glad you're okay now."

"That makes two of us..." Fred smiled and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"Three of us!" Frances laughed, pointing to herself.

"You just rest, okay." Lorena smiled.

"Oh no, I'm feeling much better, Lorena..." Frances said, and got up out of bed. In doing so, she felt dizzy again. And she sure showed it! "Got up too fast I guess." She chuckled, sitting back down on the bed.

"See what I mean?...You need to rest yourself! Don't worry, I can handle little Freddy. Tended to all seven of my children in my lifetime...Joel, Jack, Emma, David, Sarah, Conrad and Harvey." She said, rattling off their names...All were adults now, except for her last child, of course.

Frances smiled. "Don't worry, I trust you...With seven children, I know you've had a lot of experience!"

"Yes indeed...Now, you lay down and rest yourself!...Or you'll make me mad at you!"

Perry snickered. "Trust me...That's not a good idea!"

**A/N: Interesting little fact for y'all! The house (which is the house my family and I live in now.) and garage Fred (my great great grandfather) built (by himself!) that is used in this story was built in 1923. Fred's full name is carved in the garage door. I haven't seen it since I was a little girl, and since that's my Dad's territory now, I don't bother with it! lol.**

**And yes, there actually is a little window, stuck right at the end of the stairway...WHY Fred put that window in, I'll never know...(because in the next room, there's a window in that room too...) maybe so they could get things upstairs easier or something. IDK. lol! But I thought my situation was pretty logical. lol. Also, Fred put all different sizes of windows in our house! WHY? That's another mystery! lol.**

**Frances NEVER fainted a day in her life! She thought it was all put on...Remember in the eariler chapters about the women fainting in church? I can understand that part, thinking it was put on, because they'd always have a strong man there to catch them! lol. But yet, the never fainting thing, I can understand too, because I've never fainted a day in my life either! lol. Interesting how certain things get passed on down from generation to generation!**

**The characters, Perry and Lorena Fylan and their children who were mentioned are of course my own! :)**


	40. Chapter 40

August had passed and it was now the end of September. The 30th, Fred's 27th birthday to be exact...What Frances thought was strange was that she kept having more fainting spells all through the month of August and into the next month...She never fainted before! So figuring something might be wrong with her, she decided to make an appointment with Dr. Clark. She had Freddy all ready one morning so she could take him to her brother and sister-in-law's place. Fred was just about to walk out the door to go to work at the iron factory.

"Bye sweetheart." He said, giving her a kiss. "I'll be back before suppertime."

"Are you sure you don't want to take something along? I _can_ make you something, you know."

Fred chuckled. "No need, hon. You know I don't eat lunch!...Just make sure supper's hearty." He grinned, winking at her.

"Like it never is!" She smiled at him, a hand on one hip as she had Freddy on the other. "I feed you pretty well! You've put on ten pounds since we've been married!"

"Mostly muscle." He grinned.

Frances tapped his torso. "I think there's a little bit more than muscle there, honey." She laughed.

"Like I said...mostly." He laughed. "All thanks to your good cooking."

Frances laughed and closed her eyes as she kissed her husband. "Love ya." She whispered and smiled at him.

"I love you, too...I've got to get going..." He gave her another kiss. "Goodbye."

Frances grabbed him by the arm and gave him one last kiss..."Never say goodbye..." She whispered. "For you and me, its always...'See you later.'" She smiled.

Fred gave her a crooked smile. "See you later, then." He whispered, gave her a quick peck on the lips and went on to work.

Frances look down at little Freddy. She smiled and pressed her forehead against his. "Well,...are you ready to go to Uncle Joe and Aunt Nona's?" Freddy smiled and let out a little squeal that made Frances laugh. "C'mon, let's go then..." So she walked, while balancing Freddy on one hip, over to Joe and Nona's house. She set Freddy down on the floor, to which her brother Joe went right on over and played with Freddy and kept him occupied, while Frances took a few minutes and talked awhile with her sister-in-law.

"Thanks so much for watching him while I'm at my appointment, Nona..."

"You're welcome...and I hope everything's okay. You' ve had me worried with those fainting spells of yours."

"I don't think anything's wrong, Nona...but the fainting spells had me worried too, a little. Last Tuesday, my goodness...It was the worst! I had just picked up a jar of mandarin oranges, the Chu's you know, who immirgrated here from China gave the mercantile a huge shipment and I thought I should try them, and anyway, the next thing I knew, I was flat on my back on the mercantile floor! It was so embarrassing, because everyone was standing over me, just staring at me! I think that Mr. Royce picked me up and got me to Dr. Clark's office...He was so worried about me, I guess I scared him!"

"Its a good thing it happened there, and not while you were with Freddy..."

"Yes...And I don't what I'd do if it did!"

"You still have that sick feeling too?"

"More than just a feeling, Nona! I've been throwing up...I didn't want to tell Fred, I didn't want to worry him...I just thought it was a flu bug or something..."

"Isn't it?" Nona asked.

"I'm not so sure...but I'll find out today. Well, I guess I better get going.."

"Right, you wouldn't want to be late."

"Let me just say goodbye to Freddy and I'll be gone." She walked over to Joe who was on the floor playing with 9 month old Freddy.

"Bye-bye sweetheart. Mama's going now...I'll be back soon." Frances said, giving Freddy a few little kisses and hugs goodbye. She got up, and walked back over to Nona. Freddy knew she was leaving, and so he started crying. Big crocodile tears seeped out of his little brown eyes. They had changed from baby blue to deep brown in the last few months. It happened so fast that Frances wasn't so sure when they did change!

"I'm sorry, he's been going through some separation anxiety lately."

"How bad?"

Frances sighed. "Pretty bad...If it gets so you can't handle him, come get me." Frances started tearing up as she saw her 9 month old crawling over to her, bawling his little eyes out. "I hate seeing him like this..."

"I can imagine..." Nona said..."Well, you've got to get to that appointment of yours, Frances."

Frances knodded and smiled at her sister-in-law. "Thanks, Nona...I know he'll be fine. He'll be with you. He knows you well enough." And with that, Frances walked out the front door, though still hearing her son bawling his little eyes out. It broke her heart and she started crying as she walked the road to Dr. Clark's office. She made it up the hill to Walker Street and spent sometime outside the doctor's office and got a hold of herself soon and walked into Dr. Clark's office for her doctor's appointment. Frances told him the symptoms she had been having and he examined her.

"I thought that was what it was, Dr. Clark...I had all the symptoms, but you know, I just wanted to be sure. It was interesting, my symptoms were completely different! My first, I had no morning sickness...this one, I'm always so sick! And exhausted!...If I am pregnant that is, you still haven't told me for sure." Frances said, as she was behind the changing screen, putting her tan skirt and blouse back on.

"Well, your calculations were in fact correct, Mrs. Lay...You're definately pregnant again." He smiled. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, Dr. Clark." Frances smiled as wide as could be.

"And as for your previous pregnancy symptoms being different from this one..." He began to say and paused, and then he spoke low and with a smile..."Every pregnancy is different...Well, looks like I'll be seeing you more often from now on...I'll make sure to let my wife and daughter know of your good news, okay?...Maybe they'll be able to make it for the birth this time." He chuckled.

"Well, my due date won't be in winter, in the middle of the coldest blizzard Dubuque has ever seen, this time around, will it?" Frances giggled.

"No...since you're due in April."

"What day do you think? I just want to be sure." She smiled.

"The later part of April. In the 20's I'd say."

"Thank you, Dr. Clark." Frances said, shaking his hand, paying him and went her way.

Frances was walking back to Joe and Nona's place to pick up Freddy so they could go home...She was thrilled to find out she was pregnant again! And yet, the doubts started setting in.

"How's Fred going to take this? Will he be happy?...He was when I was expecting Freddy...but with me getting pregnant so soon again? Oh, I just don't know!...Freddy's coming up on his 1st birthday in December! He's going to start walking soon...goodness, he'll be into everything! I can't be constantly chasing after him!...While being pregnant on top of that! I've been so sick lately! That's going to make things even worse!" Frances was talking to herself as she was walking back to Joe and Nona's. "What in Heaven's name are you saying, Frances? You were strong in your first pregnancy and you'll be strong in this one too! You can do this!"

Frances walked on back to Joe and Nona's place so she could pick up her son.

"How did the appoinment go, Frances? Any good news?"

"Very good news...but my lips are sealed." Frances grinned.

"No fair!...What a mean sister-in-law you are!" Nona joked with her.

"Yes, but you put up with me don't you?" She laughed.

"Oh we try!" Joe laughed..."I know it was hard growing up with you, sis!"

Frances smirked. "I think it was the other way around, my dear brother." She laughed.

Joe gave little Freddy back to her. "Thank you...Was he good?"

"He was adorable!...Did just fine with the separation anxiety. Joe got him to quiet down almost immediately."

"Wasn't just me...I caught him sucking on that little thumb of his. That was part of it." Joe said.

"Well, what did you do?" Frances asked.

"He sang him "Pop, Goes The Weasel!" Nona laughed at her husband..."I'm sorry Joe, but you can't carry a tune in a bucket to save your life!" She laughed, but put her arms around her husband of one year and a month...and she kissed him.

"Nevertheless, I'm sure he enjoyed it." Frances giggled. "He LOVES that song!"

"Joe had so much fun with Freddy!" Nona smiled...and glanced at her husband. "Loved hearing him babble and that cute little laugh of his! Its almost like he's starting to say something!...I enjoyed him being with us too, Frances. We lined up the suppertable chairs together and just watched him stand up and try to walk against them...He's so cute!"

Frances smiled. "He's been doing that a lot at our house too...The other day he tried standing up by himself without holding on to anything. He fell down and didn't try again yet, the poor boy."

"Oh my..." Nona laughed..."He'll try again I'm sure."

" Yes...Oh, and judging by the fact that Joe had such a good time with him, he'll make a great Papa someday...you just watch." Frances smiled. "And something tells me you two can't wait to have kids."

"In a few years!" Joe exclaimed. "Say five years from now...or more!" He said, going upstairs.

"He doesn't want kids?" Frances questioned.

"No...He doesn't..." Nona sighed. "Not so soon anyway. He wants to make sure we're ready."

"Well, you've done wonderful with Freddy!...I think you'll make wonderful parents someday."

"I'm sure you want kids, don't you?" Frances smiled, touching her sister-in-law's arm.

"Of course I do!...I love babies...and little kids! They're cute when they're that little! Freddy's age and older I mean...Oh, but I can see how Joe is thinking. I want to be ready for this too...don't want to just jump into it, you know!"

"Good for you...Don't rush it. You'll have a lot of time for this...Besides, these are the happiest years of your life."

"Very true...Well, I'll let you get on home." Nona smiled.

"Bye Nona..." Frances smiled and gave her sister-in-law a hug. "Can you wave bye-bye to Aunt Nona? Huh Freddy?...Wave bye-bye!" She smiled as she saw her 9 month old son wave. "Well, I'll see you Sunday in church, okay Nona?"

"Of course!" She smiled. "Bye now."

Frances took Freddy home and put him in her sitting room to play and then she went into the kitchen to get started on supper. She decided she was going to make Fred's favorite meal, it being his birthday today. She worked for a few hours getting supper on the table, with every now and then going into her sitting room to check on Freddy. She was in the kitchen when she heard Fred walk through the back door and felt his arms around her waist.

"Hello there." She laughed and moved her face toward his so he could kiss her on the lips.

"Somethin' smells good in here..." Fred said as he leaned in closer to her and started smelling her hair and near her neck and shoulders..."Lavender...mmmmm. Is that what I smell...or?..." His eyebrows furrowed. "Porkchops and mashed potatoes?...I smell that too." He laughed.

"Well, it is your birthday today...I wanted to make your favorite meal." She smiled.

"Oh, even mushroom gravy...Special, eh?" He said, dipping a spoon in the gravy and tasting a little.

"Yes! Now get out of that, or we won't have enough!" She laughed. "Besides...its your day and I wanted to make sure it was special." Frances said, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck as they kissed.

"Seems special already." He smiled.

"It is and its all ready...Sit down, okay?" She whispered. "I figured to have supper ready early since its your day."

"All right." He smiled at her at took a seat at their little kitchen table. Frances proceeded to set a plate full of two pork chops, drizzled with the gravy as well as a good sized portion of the mashed potatoes on the table. She also set down a tall glass of milk for him.

"Talk about special treatment." He grinned, and placed his hands on her arms and she leaned down and kissed him again.

"Its your special day." She smiled.

"Aren't you going to eat too?"

"Of course..." She smiled and sat down next to him, they prayed and began to eat their meal.

"So...how is everything?" Frances smiled.

"Wonderful...just wonderful, honey." He replied, taking a bite of a porkchop.

"And the mashed potatoes?"

"Oh, they're great."

"Not too much butter or salt on them?"

"They're perfect."

"Good...I'm glad."

There was a moment of silence until Fred spoke up. "Um...I've got a little bad news to tell you, sweetheart."

"What's wrong?" Frances asked, concerned.

"Don't get yourself uptight, okay!"

"Fred, I'm not!..." Frances almost laughed. "Just tell me..."

"They're laying folks off at the iron factory...John and I being two of them..."

"Oh no!"

"Now calm down! Don't worry...I've found another job! Pays better money too."

"That's good, we'll need the money."

"We always need money." Fred sighed.

"I know..." Frances said quietly. "Um, where will you be working then?" She asked.

"The Star Brewing Company..."

"Fred...you know I don't like that idea of you working at a place like that."

"Hey now, its not like I'm going to drink! That part of my life is over, honey. These lips haven't touched any alcohol since I was 20. I promise you, I won't go back to drinking...I'm serious! That's over for me now, I had one bad hangover, JUST ONE, and I thought, 'I'm NEVER doing this again'...and I haven't."

"I very proud of you, really, I am sweetheart,...but why take the job in the first place?"

"Because...it pays good money. Money we need." He said, swallowing the last of his supper.

Frances sighed. "I can't force you to do something or not to do something...Plus we do need the money. I do understand that."

"So it's settled then?" Fred asked.

"Yes...If you must." She smiled and changed the subject, while clearing the dishes. "Did you have a special day, then?"

"The most." He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Here, I'll take those, honey." Fred said, and took them from her and put them in the washtub.

"You know honey, there's more special days coming up soon." She smiled and began to watch the dishes.

"Yup...Freddy's 1st birthday in December, your 20th birthday in May...and our 2nd anniversary in April. See, I remembered!" Fred grinned and came behind her and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"That's not all that's in April, honey." She smiled slightly.

"Gee...I can't think of anything! Am I forgeting something?" He asked, with his eyebrows furrowed.

"No!" Frances laughed. "No, you're not forgeting a thing!"

"Well, then what's coming up in April besides our anniversary?"

"Ummm, well,...I went to Dr. Clark's for a little checkup today. Just to check something out."

"Are you okay? Do I need to be worried or anything?"

"No...I'm perfectly fine." Frances smiled. "I'm pregnant again is all."

"You're what?" He asked, and she turned around and saw a smile on his face.

"You heard me, didn't you?" She grinned.

"Yes, I heard you!" Fred smiled. "I just can't believe it!"

"Now, why would I joke about a thing like this, Fred John?" She asked, looking at him, with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, you know what I mean!" Fred smiled, pulling her into and embrace and kissed her. Frances let herself go and kissed him back and ran her fingers through his hair and eventually let her hands fall on his back and rubbed his whole back. "How far along are you?" He asked her.

"Two months, Dr. Clark said." She whispered in between giving him a more passionate kiss.

"Oh, I love you!" Fred said, kissing her.

"I love you, too." She whispered, looking up at him and she leaned in and began to give him another kiss.

"Oh my!...Oh my, I'm so, SO sorry!" The back door had flown open, Frances turned her head back and both were staring at the opened back door...and there stood Franziska, totally shocked and embarrassed at seeing the two. "My word! At the rate you're going, you two will be saying you're giving me another grandchild! My goodness!...I'm surprised you haven't already!"

Fred grinned down at her and gave a look like, "Do you want to tell her now?"

Frances smiled up at him and placed another kiss on his lips...and left his embrace and went to her mother.

"Ma..." Frances smiled and grabbed her mother's hands. "I do actually have something to tell you."

"Yes..." She stated.

"Ma...Sometime in late April...there's going to be a new addition to our family. I'm pregnant again!"

"Oh my goodness! How wonderful!" Franziska smiled hugging her daughter. "How far along are you?"

"Two months." She beamed. "Remember the fainting spells I was having?"

"Yes, you scared me to pieces!...The one time in church, my Lord, I thought it was just that darn heat!"

"And what about when the barn burned down?" Fred questioned.

"Well, I guess it was just the start of it all...and wasn't just my nerves, and I just didn't know!...Sometimes, you just don't know...And boy, I sure didn't know!" Frances chuckled. "And, I also was having morning sickness...BAD morning sickness...I thought it was just a bad case of the flu or something, well, I guessed wrong!" She laughed.

"My stars, here sit down and rest yourself!" Franziska exclaimed pulling out a chair.

"Ma! I'm fine!" Frances laughed. "I'm perfectly fine!...So what did you come here for, Ma?"

"Oh, I don't know! For a cup of flour or something!"

"Okay..." Frances went and got a wooden measuring cup and filled it with flour and brought it to her mother. "Here you are."

"Oh, set that down on the table! I can get it later!...I have to tell all the family of your wonderful news!" Franziska said, racing out the back door. Fred looked at Frances, Frances looked at Fred and both ran to the back door...and both saw Franziska running up the road as giddy as a little schoolgirl!

"Ma!...Ma!...Oh mother, please be careful! I don't want you to hurt yourself!...And what if I don't want to tell everyone just yet!" Frances hollered out the back door.

Fred laughed and wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her neck..."They're all going to find out sooner or later." He whispered in between kisses. "Might as well be now."

Frances smiled at her husband. "I suppose so." She said, and both leaned in for a kiss.

"Wait just a minute! Your mother's only 49!" He laughed.

"Yes...and your point is?"

"You said she'd hurt herself! She isn't that old!" He laughed.

"Did you SEE the way she was running up the hill?" Frances laughed.

Fred laughed. "Oh, its a small hill...She'll be okay."

**A/N:DUBUQUE STAR BREWING COMPANY. Iowa's oldest brewery. Founded by the Rhomberg family in 1898, Dubuque Star Brewing Company was forced to close along with other breweries with the beginning of prohibition. It reopened in 1933 with the repeal of prohibition. It is said the first barrel of beer brewed by the company was sent to Iowa's Governor Clyde Herring as a token of celebration. **

**Bottled beer was first produced by the brewery in 1935. Cans were first used in 1975. Dozens of labels were created including "Iowa Lager," "Holiday," "Dubuque Star," and "Dubuque Star Select." **

**The brewery was sold in the 1970s to Joseph Pickett and Sons, Inc. Joseph Pickett, Sr. was responsible for the modernization of the plant. Ownership transferred again in the 1980s when the brewery was sold to AGRI Industries of West Des Moines. They produced Rhomberg Beer until 1985. The efforts were not successful. **

**AGRI closed the brewery in 1983 claiming stiff competition from rival breweries and low profits. **

**Dubuque Star Brewery has been an important site of several motion pictures shot in the Dubuque area. In the late 1970s ZIGGY'S was used for several scenes of the Sylvester Stallone movie, F.I.S.T. The movie _Take This Job and Shove It_, starring Art Carney, was shot at the brewery during the summer of 1980. **


	41. Chapter 41

A few months had passed and it was now December. It was the later part of December, Christmas had just been celebrated and Fred and Frances were to celebrate Freddy's 1st birthday. Frances was in the kitchen baking the birthday cake, with Freddy in his wooden high chair at the table.

"Are you ready for Grandma and Grandpa to come over?" Frances smiled and looked over at him in his high chair.

"I'll take that as a yes!" She laughed at him as he let out a cute little squeal and pounded his little hands on the table-top. Frances placed the cake on the table so it could cool down, and the ingredients for the chocolate icing were boiling on top of the wood stove. She went about her business stirring the boiling chocolate, sugar and water mixture that would be the chocolate frosting for the cake. She turned her head and smiled as she heard little Freddy making his little sounds...but then she saw he was trying to reach for the cake on the table in front of him!

"No sir..." She said, sliding the cake a few inches away from him, so that it was just out of his reach. Then she went back to the woodstove. She heard him again and turned around and saw him reaching for that cake again. She walked back over to him.

"Freddy, no sir." She told him sternly. "Don't touch the cake." She kept the cake there right where it was. She had to test him...Frances knew that sooner or later, he HAD to understand what no meant! So, she went back to the woodstove, took the boiling mixture off of the wood stove, poured it into a wooden bowl, and brought it to the table so that it could cool down and then she would stir and beat it till it was all creamy so she could frost the cake. She set the bowl down on the table and saw her little one reaching for the still unfrosted chocolate cake again!

_"Well, it looks like you're determined!...So am I!" _Frances thought, placing her hands on her hips. She slapped his hand away, not as to hurt the little fella, but to let it sting...and so he would know that no MEANT no! "Freddy, no sir...Don't touch the cake!" Freddy began to whimper and a few tears slid down his cheeks.

"You're just fine!...Stop your crying, now!...When I say no, I mean no."

"What's the matter in here?" Fred asked, walking into the kitchen. "Hey Fritz! What's with the water-works, huh?" Fred picked up his son, and Freddy had soon stopped crying. He gave him a little kiss on the cheek and gently placed him back in his little high-chair.

"He's trying to get at that other birthday cake I'm making!" Frances said, pointing her wooden spoon she was using to stir the frosting, in the cake's direction. "I slapped that little hand of his! If he did it again, thought I'd have to give him a little swat on his rear!"

"I don't want you hitting our son..."

"I'm NOT hitting him! Its called a spanking, Fred."

"Seems like hitting to me..."

"I'm TRYING to discipline him...He needs to know that no means no."

"He's little yet, he wouldn't understand! And don't go pulling that 'spare the rod, spoil the child' thing, now." Fred said, a little sternly.

"I'm not, and you know that Bible doesn't even say that, honey!" Frances said. "Its Proverbs 13:24, "_He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes_."

"Don't try and quote the verses to me, I already know! Proverbs 23:13 and 14..."_Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell." _Fred quoted, putting emphasis on the word, beat.

"I'm NOT beating him!" She started to say, but he cut her off.

"Isn't that what the damn verse says?" Fred swore in his anger.

"Yes, it does...but I don't want these ears to her you swear! ESPECIALLY when refering to God's Word!" Frances snapped at him. "That may be what it SAYS, but it doesn't mean that's what it means! Don't look at it once and just assume what it says actually means what it says! Take some time and study the verse out! Pull out your Noah Webster's dictionary and look up every word you don't understand!"

Fred ignored her little 'speech'. "Quit quoting the verses to me...you sound just like _her_." He said harshly.

Frances stood there dead in her tracks as Fred gave her the coldest and dirtiest look you could ever give a person, and watched him walk out of the kitchen and heard him stomping through her sitting room and into the parlor.

Tears began to seep out of Frances' eyes as she turned and looked at her little boy, just sitting there in his wooden high chair. She wondered what was going through his little mind. She grabbed her mixing bowl and spoon and started to stir the mixture so she could prepare it into chocolate frosting. Frances glanced over at him and saw he was still just sitting there, not even bothering with the cake anymore. She smiled, a little weakly at him, which sent an adorable little grin and a squeal from Freddy. He started pounding his little hands on the table top again.

Frances chuckled and wiped away a few tears. "We promised you'd never see your Papa and me fight...this is the last time you do, if I can help it anyway." She said, smiling and smoothing his thin locks of reddish-brown hair. "Oh what am I saying?" She laughed and sniffled a little. "You're so young, you won't remember this!...I hope."

Fred was sitting in his chair in the parlor, as an aweful memory of his childhood flooded his mind again.

~_Flashback_~

_A little 5 year old Fred stood in a bedroom with Mrs. Beck. She had a wooden hairbrush in her hand and was staring dagers at him._

_"Looks like I need to discipline you for the first time, boy...Do you know why?"_

_The five year old just stood there, looking up at the middle-aged woman._

_"You not only stole a cookie from the batch I was making for the church social tomorrow, but you LIED about it!" She snapped at him, little Fred just kept staring up at her, almost on the verge of tears._

_"Do you know what that makes you, boy?...A theif...and a LIAR! Do you know that the DEVIL is a liar and the father of it?...Do you know that, boy?" Leah stared at him and went on..."Liars go to HELL!...Do you want to go to Hell, boy?"_

_Fred stared at her, but somehow managed to shake his little head no._

_"The Bible says, _"_Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."...Do you know what I need to do now?"_

_"I must discipline you, boy!" She said, harshly. "For in the Bible it also says, "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." Do you WANT to bring me to shame? I'm considered as your mother now, you know...Since my husband brought you here!" Leah stared at him and waited for an answer from him._

_"WELL, do you WANT to bring me to shame, boy? Do you?" She yelled at him._

_"No..." Fred stated quietly, tears starting to fall._

_"Well, then I must do what I must do...Pull down your trousers, boy."_

_Little Fred pulled down his pair of brown trousers and his long-johns._

_"Now, get over my knee."_

_Fred did as he was told, and Leah Beck took the wooden part of her hairbrush and proceeded to spank him with it. She was hitting him so hard, not only cries and sobs of pain were coming from the young 5 year old, but Leah very well KNEW it would leave a mark on his behind...and she intended to._

_"The Bible says, boy, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying."...You can cry, and you can plead and you can beg all you want to, but it won't work with me. Not with me, you hear?" She told him coldly._

~End of Flashback~

In anger and in tears, Fred slammed his fists down on the arm rests of his chair, and looked over and saw his wife standing there, a small hand gently resting on her pregnant belly. She was 5 months along as of now...He noticed she had tears in her eyes too.

"I...umm...I think you best go upstairs for awhile, honey...Don't you think so?" She choked.

Fred looked at her with tears still streaming down his cheeks. He didn't say a word, got up and walked through the sitting/sewing room.

"I love you, Fred..." Was all she managed to say, though unsure if he had heard, as she spoke it quietly.

Frances walked back into the kitchen as Fred was heading upstairs to their bedroom...Freddy STILL hadn't touched that cake in front of him and still sat there in his high-chair...She continued with making the frosting, when she heard a very faint, "Yoooo hoooo!" and a little knock at the back door. She smiled, answered "Yooo hooo!" back and went to the back door and opened it.

"My word! When did it start snowing again?...C'mon in guys, its really coming down! I'll have to put another log on the wood stove! Maybe two or three!" Frances exclaimed.

"Here sis, I'll do it for you. I don't want you doing any hard work in your condition." John told her. "Wouldn't want a repeat of the last time! Would we?" He said and walked back out the door. Frances stood there, hands across her chest, tapping her foot, looking at Joe, and at George Jr. "You two told him, I see..."

"We just wanted to let him know, in case you tried anything again, Frances!" Joe said. "You know we don't keep anything from family!'

"Your brothers are right Frances, I don't want you lifting a finger! I could've killed you when they told your father and I what you..."

"You TOLD Ma and Pa!" She exclaimed, starting to get angry.

"Now simmer down and quit acting like a little girl!" George Jr. told her.

Frances took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm not acting like a little girl..."

"So enough of this nonsense!" Big George exclaimed. "Let's get on with the birthday party!...Now, where's the cake?"

"I'm not all that quite ready Pa...I just need to frost the cake and we'll be ready." She said, striding into the kitchen.

"Here, I'll see if she needs any help." Melania said, following her into the kitchen.

"I can be of help too if you need me." Nona smiled.

"Can I help Ma?" Mary Jane asked, following her mother.

"No...I don't want you in the way."

"But I can look after Freddy! Pu-llleeeease Ma! Pretty please?"

"Fine...but only helping with Freddy. That's it."

Melania and Mary Jane walked into the kitchen, Melaina helped Frances with setting the little table while Frances was frosting the cake. Mary Jane, of course was playing with little Freddy, keeping the little one occupied. Frances just got finished frosting the chocolate cake, when Mary Jane looked over and saw two cakes on the table.

"Aunt Frances...Why are there two cakes?" She asked but thought a few seconds. "Oh I know! We've a good mess of people here! That must be why!" Mary Jane exclaimed.

Frances smiled and went to her neice and put her hands on her shoulders. "Well, you know Freddy's actual birthday is in two days, right?"

"Yes..." She smiled.

"And YOUR birthday is New Years Eve! I thought to celebrate both of your birthday's..."

"2 minutes after New Years Eve, to be exact! I'll never forget it! There was a brand new year,...and I had a brand new baby." Melania smiled putting her arms around her daughter, and giving her a little hug and kissed her cheek. "12 years ago...Doesn't seem that long ago...Anyway, Frances asked me if it was all right. She thought it would be so cute!...Cousins celebrating their birthday's together." Melania smiled.

"Could we?" Mary Jane smiled.

"We ARE, Mary Jane!" Frances grinned.

"Oh thank you, Aunt Frances! Thank you!" Mary Jane exclaimed, and hugged her aunt.

"Mary Jane! Not so hard!" Melania began to scold her daughter.

"Melania, calm down! It wasn't like she had a death grip around my middle!" Frances laughed, laying a hand on her stomach.

"But in your condition..." Melania began.

"My condition, my foot!" Frances said. "I'm fine!"

"But the baby!" She whispered.

"The baby's fine...you worry too much!" Frances whispered back at her, in a joking attempt at Melania whispering at her.

"Its okay! You don't need to whisper around me! Ma says I'm becoming a woman!...'Cause I'm starting to get breasts!" Mary Jane exclaimed excitedly.

"Mary Jane!" Melania cringed, embarrassed.

"But Ma, you told me that's what they are!...Why not call them what they are?"

"But not here!" Melania looked at Frances in an apology. "I've told her a few things lately..."

"How much?"

"Not much! I've kept it age appropriate! I can't tell her yet about...her very first cycle...or...sex! Especially the last one!" She whispered to Frances.

"Why not? You said so yourself that she's quite mature for her age. Don't shield her Melania, she needs to know sooner or later. It's part of growing up!"

"Now where's that birthday cake? I'm getting tired of waiting here!" Big George exclaimed, walking into the kitchen. "Oh, one just for me, I see!" He grinned, taking the chocolate cake off of the table.

"Pa, stop it!' Frances laughed at him, taking the cake from him. "That's for everybody!"

Everyone took a seat at the table. "Well, you know I made two chocolate cakes...One with chocolate frosting...and one with buttercream frosting! I hope that's okay with everyone." Frances smiled.

"Sounds okay to me!" Big George grinned, trying to grab at the chocolate cake again. Franziska slapped his hand away.

"I swear, George Michael! You're acting like a little boy on his birthday! We're celebrating Mary Jane's and Freddy's birthdays! Not your's for Heaven sake's!"

"Funny you should say that...Pa's not the only one trying to get at that chocolate cake."

"Who? Fred?" John asked.

"No...Freddy."

"How cute..." George Jr. laughed.

"I don't think its very cute, my brother...I told him no so many times!...I think he finally gets it. I slapped his little hand."

"You do more than just slap his hand! You give him a hard swat on his bottom! That's what you do!" Franziska told her.

Frances was slightly angered by this. "Mother, I INTEND to raise my children as by what the Bible says, and NOT just by what you tell me! I intended to spank him, not just give him a little slap on the hand!"

"Then WHY didn't you?"

"I'd rather not talk about it right now! Fine with YOU?" Frances raised her voice a little.

"And I'd rather not be talked to in such a manner! You may be an adult now, but you are still my daughter! And I don't want MY daughter yelling at me and talking back to me. Do you understand me, Franziska Catherine?"

Frances glared at her mother. "Yes Ma'am." Was all she said, but was still glaring at her. Franziska was as well, it was a mother/daughter stare-down!

**A/N: Fred's flashback did not happen. I made that one up.**

**I modeled Big George after my grandpa, George's great grandson. The wanting the cake to himself is something he would do. lol.**

**I do not know of Mary Jane Gruber's actual birthdate. So I made it up for this chapter.**


	42. Chapter 42

"Now, if all of you will excuse me...I need to go get Fred." Frances said, walking out of the kitchen.

"Was wondering where that rascal was! What did he do, get lost up there?...OWWW!" Joe replied, as he received a swift kick in the leg from his wife.

"Joseph!...Hush!" Nona whispered.

"Well, you didn't have to kick me!" He whispered back.

"Yes I did!...Because you don't know when to keep that mouth of yours shut!"

"Oh shut up, you didn't have to kick me!"

"This is not the time to be trying to lighten the mood! So YOU shut up!"

"My word, if you two weren't married I would have to say to you two, "You fight like you're married!" but since you are married..." Franziska began.

"They fight because they are married!" George Sr. said, with a chuckle.

"Honeymoon's over folks!" George Jr. added.

Franziska gave them both a look. "Hush, you two...I was going to say they fight like two little children!"

Frances had climbed the stairs, passed through the large open room that was considered the attic, and walked to their bedroom in the back. She saw the door was closed. She rapped on the wooden door twice and waited a minute or two.

She knocked on the door once again. "Fred...Honey, can I come in, please?" Frances asked quietly. Suddenly, the door opened, slowly. There stood Fred in front of her, his blueish gray eyes were dry now.

"I'm sorry..." She choked out. "About the fight, and all the yelling...I'm sorry. I was being inconsiderate and unsypathetic about what happened to you." Frances said, and felt the tears start falling. "I'm so sorry, honey!" She said, falling into his arms and started crying on his shoulder. Fred held her in his arms and was crying himself. For quite awhile, they just stood there, holding each other.

"Cry for awhile...Sometimes its good." Fred whispered.

"It does a good job of relieving stress." Frances choked out. "And boy, am I in a lot of stress right now!" She was crying and buried her face in his shoulder, and she felt his arms still on her back.

"Calm down..." He soothed her. "You know that's not good for the baby, or you. The stress I mean...I don't want to see you like this."

"I know! I just can't help it, Fred!" She looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Is it because of me? Our fight?"

"Yes,...No...I don't know!" She buried her face in his chest this time, as she cried some more. "It didn't help that my little argument with Ma downstairs made matters worse!"

"Argument?" Fred questioned. "What happened?"

"I told her about how I'm trying to discipline Freddy. I don't know what her problem was, but she was accusing me of not wanting to spank him or something like that. I went off on her..."

"I just don't like the hitting that's involved in spanking. That's all." Fred told her.

"I know you don't..." Frances was choked up again, but somehow managed to not lose herself in a sea of tears again..."To be honest with you, I don't like it either, but...Look, we need to talk about this later, when we're really alone."

"That's fine with me."

"Me too...Right now, we've got our little boy's first birthday to celebrate." Frances smiled at him, sniffled a little, and wiped the tears that stained her cheeks and that were welling up in her eyes again.

"Let's go then." Fred smiled, and with his arm around her, they walked the floorspace of that open attic room, to the stairwell, and Fred went down first so he could help her down each step. "Pretty soon you won't be able to climb these stairs all the time! You'll be too big." He chuckled.

"Oh, shut up before I slap you one!" Frances laughed.

"Aww...we can make a room for you downstairs."

"Nonsense! I climbed up and down the stairs when I was pregnant with Freddy, I can with this one!"

"Frances." Fred gave her a little look, as he was in the doorway to the stairway, and she stepped off the last step. "You almost fell that one time. I'm not letting that happen with this pregnancy...You scared me. You really did, honey."

"Dr. Walker said we were both fine. And Freddy's normal today!" She laughed.

Fred chuckled. "That laughing makes me wonder!" They both laughed a little bit, but then Fred got solemn. "Seriously, I think we should make you a room downstairs...This one'll do...right by the stairway, so if you need me, I can be right down."

"There's no arguing with you, Fred Lay, is there?" Frances giggled, wondering if he remembered what she said to him in their very first real conversation. It was something to that effect.

"Nope." He smiled, and then chuckled. He did remember!

"What took you two so long up there?" Franziska asked Fred and Frances as they walked into the kitchen.

"Don't you dare say it, Joe!" Nona whispered, her grip tightening on his hand and she was glaring at him. Joe raised his eyebrows at her as if to say, _"Okay!...Quit treating me like a little boy!"_

"That's what I want to know!...That cake has been tempting me ever since I got here!...Will you feed your poor Pa or are you gonna let him waste away to nothing?"

"George Michael!" Franziska exclaimed.

"Oh, I'm just teasin'! Frances knows that!"

"Well, lets pray and sing Happy Birthday and we all can have some cake...so Pa won't have a cow!" Frances laughed. A prayer was said, and they sang to Mary Jane and she blew out the 12 candles on the cake with the buttercream frosting.

"Now, we sing to Freddy!" Mary Jane smiled, and began, with everyone joining in.

"Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday, Dear Freddy! Happy Birthday to You!" Frances gave her son a little kiss on the cheek. They already had a little piece of the cake out for him, and Fred and Frances were trying to teach him to blow out the candle, but it wasn't quite working, so Frances blew it out for him.

"When he gets older he can blow out his own candle." Fred chuckled. "Won'tcha buddy?...Won'tcha, won'tcha, won'tcha?" Fred got in his son's face and was playing around with him, making him giggle and squeal. "Won'tcha Fritz?" Freddy was still laughing and grabbing his daddy's blond hair and his hands slid down on his face, and Fred pretended to nibble on his little fingers. It made Freddy laugh even more.

"Enough with playing with the baby!" Frances laughed. "Let him eat his birthday cake!"

"I'd like some of the cake too, you know."

"George Michael! If you keep going on about that cake like you are, I'll make sure you won't get any!" Franziska said.

"Somebody's moody." George Sr. muttered.

"Oh, shut up!...I heard that!" Franziska glared at her husband.

"You're not the only one who's moody, Ma." Frances laughed. "I've done nothing but cry these past few days."

"Yes, but I'm not the one who's pregnant." Franziska glanced over at her husband, as if to say, "_Don't even say it, George!"_

"Very true...C'mon, lets cut the cake already!" Frances laughed, and cut the cake with the buttercream frosting, since the chocolate one was already, and served everyone.

Frances took a seat next to her son's high-chair to see if he needed a little help with eating his cake...He didn't! He got right into it! Literally! There were little cake crumbs ALL over him and chocolate frosting on his hands and face, it was even in his hair!

"Now THAT is what I call adorable!" Melania laughed. "I remember my friends and I in California had a little get together for when Mary Jane turned a year old. Frosting was on every square inch of her, it seemed!"

"I did that too?" Mary Jane questioned.

"Oh, yes you did! I think you were much worse though!" She laughed.

"What's with that? They always manage to get it all over them!" Joe said. "I hate kids!"

Frances laughed, because it seemed like he was joking. "How can you say that Joe?...Oh, come on, you do not! You know you don't!"

"What are you going do when Nona says that you two are expecting?" Melania asked.

Joe shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I hate kids." Again, it seemed like he was just joking.

"Just for that I hope you two have a whole house full of 'em!" Frances said.

"Can we please stop talking about this?" Nona asked, a little embarrassed.

"Sure...we're sorry Nona." Frances said, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Its all right...I myself wouldn't mind kids...Its just, all this talk about it is kind of embarrassing."

"That's totally understood." Franziska said. "So no more wise-cracks saying you hate kids, Joseph Leo!"

"Yes Ma..." He said, a bit annoyed with his mother.

The birthday party, as well as the day had ended, so Joe and Nona, Ma, Pa, George Jr. and John, and Melania and Mary Jane all went home. Till the time they got there and until they went to bed, Mary Jane couldn't stop talking about the little dictionary that her mother and aunt had pitched in to get her! She loved it! And she knew very well she could use it for school, and that made her happy!

"Thank you so much for the dictionary, Ma!" Mary Jane smiled at her mother as they said good night and then the 11, ALMOST 12 year old would go to her room and go to bed. Melaina and Mary Jane had their own place now. About 10 miles or so from where she worked at the H & W Company.

"You're welcome, sweetie...and I sure hope you told your Aunt Frances, thank you."

"Oh, I did! About a million times!"

"Good, I'm glad...It was her idea to buy the dictionary for you! We both want you to use it as much as you can. Learn all you can, it'll help you someday."

"Well, good night Ma. I'm going to bed." She said, giving her mother a hug and a kiss goodnight.

"Good night." Melania smiled and then sat down in her chair to finish mending a pinafore of her daughter's. The girl was so rough, always playing with the boys, that Melania wasn't quite sure how she kept up with all the rips and tears! She heard a knock on the front door and she went and opened it.

"Hello Urban! What a surprise! Come in, won't you?"

"Oh...um...No thanks, Melania...I uh...just wanted to tell you about the New Years Eve Party for the company. We all want to bring in the New Year together." He smiled, a little nervously.

"Thank you for telling me, Urban. But my daughter's birthday is that day...I would like to spend the day with her, you know." She smiled. "But I can ask her."

"If she'll let you off for one evening?" Urban joked. He took a deep breath and let it out, because he was so nervous!

Melania laughed. "Right..."

"Well,...uh...Um, I guess I better get going. We'll see ya, Melania." He smiled crookedly. "Oh, and tell Mary Jane, Happy Birthday for me!"

"All right I will, G'Night Urban." She smiled and closed the door after him. Melania laughed to herself. _"Makes me wonder why he was so nervous...No, it couldn't be that. He's my boss and I'm his employee!...Plus,...I don't really think I want a man in my life right now. Not again."_

"Fred...do you want to talk about it now?...Freddy's asleep." Frances whispered, as she got into their bed and Fred was just sitting up, reading some sort of book.

"All right." He said, placing the book on the little end table, and he leaned over and blew out their little candle.

"Again..." Frances sighed, laying next to her husband, trying to get comfortable. "I'm sorry about our fight. It was all my fault, and I'm sorry..." She said, laying her head on his shoulder.

Fred looked over and saw her pretty face in the moonlight, dressed in her winter nightgown, barely an inch of skin, except for her neck, wrists and hands, showed. He gave her a little smirk..."You've said sorry already...Twice or more even!" He chuckled.

"I just want you to know I'm sorry for everything...My attitude." Frances whispered, starting to get choked up again.

Fred leaned in and kissed her. "You have...and don't be sorry about your attitude."

"Why not? I just can't help this fiesty aggressiveness!" She said, laying her head back on the pillow. "Uggghhh!"

"Well, I like it...So don't be sorry." He smiled and then started laughing.

"What?" Frances asked and started to chuckle herself.

"Hm!" Fred laughed. "I think part of your problem is those darn pregnancy hormones getting to ya again!"

Frances gave him a look but then her lips cracked a smile. "Well, that I can't help either...I'd like to see you be pregnant and see how you handle it!" She laughed. "So stop teasing me or you'll making me start crying again!"

Fred tilted his head back and laughed. "All right!"

Their laughter soon died down and they were quiet for awhile...and Frances thought it would be the right time to bring up the subject again.

"Honey, I know you don't like the spanking thing...but I intend to spank our children."

"It seems so much like hitting to me, that's what I don't like."

"I know." Frances said quietly.

"You said you didn't like it either."

"I don't!...Do you think I ENJOY talking sternly to our son, giving him a little slap on the hand? Making him cry? Making it seem like I'm a bad parent!"

"You're not a bad parent..." Fred said, scooting closer to her and lacing his hand around hers, and rubbed it, comfortingly.

"Its how I feel sometimes!" She started crying again. "When I saw him there in his high chair today...tears streaming down his cute little face...it...it broke my heart, Fred!" She turned over on her side, and layed her head, and a hand on his chest...and just cried for awhile. Fred wrapped his strong arms around her and held her and let her cry.

"Its all right..." He whipsered, rubbing her back gently. "You're a wonderful mother...don't doubt yourself...and don't let anyone tell you different."

"And if they do?" She asked, a little out of breath from crying so hard.

"Then, I'll give 'em what for!"

Frances laughed a little. "I know you would...but being violent isn't always the answer."

"It sure works well! If I've learned ANYTHING from Charles Ingalls!" Fred laughed.

"I wonder how they're doing? They wanted us to go up there to Minnesota and visit. I'd like to since I've never met them...but you know...with me being pregnant right now, travelling isn't such a good idea!" She laughed.

"Maybe sometime after the baby's born...We can go up and visit them. We can visit my sister too, see how she's doing." Fred said.

They were quiet again, and so Frances went back to their previous conversation. "Honey, I said I don't like spanking either...and I don't...but...it has to be done!"

"Why?"

"Because you love them!...Look, I understand your situation!...Honey, what Leah did to you, wasn't right...That's the WRONG way to spank a child!...In fact, its not spanking at all! She BEAT you! That's abuse!"

"Don't you think I know that?" He said quietly, turning his head away from her.

"I'm sorry I brought that up just now..." She replied, and buried her face in his chest again. "But what I'm trying to do...isn't abusive...I'm just trying to discipline! There's a difference...I know you don't understand...but you have to trust me on this! Please..."

"How is there a difference? You're still hitting him."

"This difference is WHERE. If its just on the rear end, its fine...anywhere else is child abuse."

"Okay...I understand that...but the hitting. I just don't like the hitting involved."

"I know you don't! Honey, I know you don't!" Frances started to tear up again. "But THAT has its difference too...its how hard, and what you do it with. If you're doing it hard enough to leave a mark or a bruise, THAT is child abuse! You just need it to sting a little...that doesn't leave marks."

"You said its what you spank them with too...Correct?"

"Correct...You don't spank them with your hand! Hands are for LOVING! Not discipline!...The Bible says to use the rod..." She began.

"Yes...I know. PLEASE don't quote the verse!" Fred said, sharply.

"Its not what you're thinking of!" Frances told him. "It means a branch or a switch...a wooden spoon. Something small that stings! Not inflicts serious bodily harm!...Again, its all how you carry it out! If its anywhere but on the behind...and you're spanking hard enough to leave a mark, its abusive and not how spanking should be!"

"I still don't understand it...I still don't really agree with it, even when you've pointed it out to me..."

"But will you trust me?" Frances said, a little unsure of his answer, she figured it would be a no.

"I'll try..."

"All right..." Frances smiled. His answer was better than nothing! Much better.

"Anything more you need to say about it?" Fred asked.

"Yes...but let's take things one at a time...and for right now, let's get some sleep!" Frances laughed a little, but she felt so exhausted from the day's events and how stressed she had been!

"Fine by me." He smiled, and kissed her goodnight.


	43. Chapter 43

"Please be good for your Pa while I'm at the New Years party, Mary Jane." Melania told her daughter, as they were upstairs in her room and she was getting ready, putting a few last finishing touches on her complexion with some lavender scented face powder.

"I like it when you wear that, Ma. It smells so pretty! Makes you look pretty too." Mary Jane smiled. "When will I be able to wear face powder?"

"No...I don't want you wearing this."

"But you get to, Ma! Why can't I?"

"I am an adult...and how old are you?" Melania replied.

"Twelve..." Mary Jane replied, flatly.

"Do you see why you can't wear it?" She told her daughter._ "Why are YOU even wearing this, Melania?" _Melania thought to herself, and then another thought popped into her head and she reassured herself._ "Its just a little party! That's all I'm wearing it for!...There's nothing wrong with that, right?"_

"Yes Ma." She said again, with the same emotion as before.

"Your Pa is stopping by to give me a ride out there. Then he'll take you to your Grandparents' house, all right?"

"All right, Ma."

Melania glanced out the little window and saw a buckboard pull up. "There's your father now. Come on...let's go, Mary Jane." Mary Jane was almost out the door as fast as you could blink an eye! She ran to meet her father.

"Hey Squirt!" George Jr. smiled, wrapping his arms around his 12 year old daughter.

"Hi Pa..." She replied, pressing her head against his stocky chest.

"How've you been? Was school good today?"

"Yeah...Except for that Sam Zust kid! Grr!"

George Jr. laughed at his daughter. "Oh Mary Jane, what did the boy do now?"

"He put a tack on my seat! I jumped up and hollered and then the whole class laughed at me! It was SO embarrassing!"

"Oh my...Did you get in trouble?"

"No Pa!...I told the teacher and showed her the tack and told her Sam did it!"

"And what happened then?"

"Sam got sent to the corner!" Mary Jane giggled.

"Well then, I'm glad you didn't get in trouble...you know your Ma and I wouldn't be too happy with that."

"I know, Pa..." She said, in a "we've been through this 1,000 times!" kind of voice.

"Speaking of your Ma, she ready?"

"Yeah, she should be down pretty soon..."

"I'm here...you don't need to wait any longer. Sorry George, was putting on some last finishing touches..."

"You mean some MORE last finishing touches, Ma!" Mary Jane said.

"And I must say, you look like a sight for sore eyes, Lana..." He smiled and gazed at her, maybe longer than he should've.

Melania smiled slightly. "Thank you, George..." George Jr. never was much for romance, but even a little saying like that made Melania smile.

"You're welcome." George Jr. grinned.

"My word, George...you haven't called me Lana in years!..." It had finally dawned on her that he had just called her the nickname he used to call her when they were courting.

"I guess, to me...it...felt like old times." George Jr. smiled a little. "I WAS going to call you Mel...but..."

"You dubbed me, Lana." Melania smiled.

"Sounded prettier...more feminine."

"I agree." Melania smiled. "It is."

Mary Jane beamed up at her mother and then at her father. She loved how they were talking to each other...and how they were looking at each other and smiling. She never told anyone, but she wished they were together. She was still young...and wasn't so sure why her parents hadn't married. Her mother never really told her. Mary Jane figured it was one touchy subject with her mother, and so she stopped asking about it.

"Well, I guess we better be going. Wouldn't want you to be late for that company shin-dig."

"All right." Melania smiled at George Jr. and lifted her up into the buckboard, after helping his daughter in.

Melania made it to the party and sent her daughter and George Jr. on their way. She talked with some of the women for awhile, when music started playing and Urban walked up to her and asked to dance with her. She accepted and the two set out on the dance floor.

"What a wonderful get-together." Melania smiled. "Don't you think?"

Urban grinned a little. "I don't just think...I know...I...uh...set things up. Asked Wissel if he would allow it." He didn't want to brag...but he at least wanted SOME recognition!

"You set this whole thing up?" Melania exclaimed. "My word, how did you ever get Mr. Wissel to agree to all this? I was wondering about that...You know how he can be."

"Cranky?...Controlling?..." Urban began.

"A real jerk!...A huge pain in the..."

"Melania!" He exclaimed. Urban couldn't believe what she, a woman, was saying about the head boss!

"What? He is!"

Urban leaned in a little and whispered into her ear. "You and I both know that...but HE sure doesn't need too!" He chuckled a little. "That you called him a jerk and such, is what I'm saying..."

"All right, Urban." Melania smirked, but then her lips turned upward. "I'm a little thirsty...Could we get some punch?"

"Of course, c'mon...I'll escort you." Urban grinned, having her grab hold of his arm. They got their glasses of punch and talked while they enjoyed their drinks. It soon got to midnight, and a New Year came, and the old one went...Shouts of "Happy New Year!" sounded all over the room.

"Hey Urban! Melania!" A man shouted from across the room. "Y'all were together when the New Year rolled around! Start a new tradition!...The new couple needs to kiss! What do ya say?" He shouted to everyone. Melania assumed someone put a little bit of the good stuff in his punch or something! Maybe someone had sneaked some whiskey in. She was pretty sure that guy was on the verge of getting drunk!

"We're not a couple!" She tried to say, but everyone was yelling, "Kiss her!...Kiss her!"

"Oh fine then!" Melania yelled. "You want a kiss?...I'll SHOW you a kiss! Goodness gracious!" She exclaimed and grabbed Urban by the front of his shirt and gave him one heck of a powerful kiss! She let go of him, and left him standing there as stunned as could be! He had NEVER been kissed by a lady like that before! Folks cheered! And some just stood there with their mouths gaping open!...Melania wiped her mouth a little bit and started toward the door, till the man who egged on this whole incident stopped her by putting an arm against the wall, preventing her from going further.

"You know...I kinda like my women...frisky...fiesty...aggressive...like you." The man said with a smirk, his eyes darting downward and then back up at her face. "What do ya say we...head to my place and have a little 'fun'." He said, wrapping a strong arm around her and gripped her shoulder.

"No..." Melania said coldly. "Now let go of me."

"Hey, girl...don't be like that." He rubbed her arm a little.

"Let...go...of...me." She spat at him, and sent him a piercing glare. The man didn't budge, so she jammed an elbow into his stomach. The man was just stunned, not hurt by the impact. As quickly as she could, Melaina took off her high heeled boot.

"What are you going to do with that?" The young man asked, sobering up a little.

"Oh buddy boy,...you don't want to know." Melania raised an eyebrow. "I suggest you get out of my sight as quickly as possible."

The man finally let go and backed away from her, eyeing the high-heeled boot that Melania kept lightly pounding into her hand. All the while, she was glaring at him. Well, the man shrank back into the crowd and Melania put her boot back on and walked out the door and started her way home. It was snowing a little, but she didn't care.

George Jr. pulled up with his daughter at the H & W Building.

"That's strange. Didn't your Ma say she'd be waiting outside for us?"

"That's what she said." Mary Jane knodded. "Look Pa! There's a lady up the road, walking!"

George Jr. squinted. "I think that's..."

"That's Ma!...What's she doing walking home? You said you'd come get her!"

"I know...Hold on, Mary Jane!" George Jr. ran the horses faster till they caught up with Melania.

"Lana! What are ya doing? We agreed I'd pick you up afterwards!" He said, bringing the horses to a trot.

"Sorry. Guess I forgot." Melaina told him sharply. "I'm sorry, George."

"What happened?" He asked her.

"I don't want to talk about it. Not right now."

"Okay...Well, get in." George Jr. brought the horses to a halt and helped Melania in.

"How was the party, Ma?" Mary Jane asked.

"Don't...ask." Melania glared at her daughter. Mary Jane sunk back into her seat.

George Jr. brought them home and Mary Jane immediately went inside and up to her room.

"Do you want to tell me what happened at that party, Lana?" George Jr. asked quietly as they were still seated in the buckboard.

"I'd rather not." She got up so she could get down from the buckboard, but George Jr. grabbed her hand, but he was as gentle as could be. Melania snapped her head around and just stared at him.

"You know...I'm always here if you need someone to talk to." George Jr. smiled a little. "For anything...I'm serious, Melania."

"Thank you, George...Goodnight." Melania whispered, and got down from the buckboard as their hands drifted apart and she went inside.


	44. Chapter 44

Melania sat down a few minutes to try and calm down a little. She took her hair out of its bun and got dressed in her nightgown and decided she wanted a little cup of coffee before bed. And passing through from her bedroom to the kitchen, she glanced outside a moment.

"Wh-why's he still out there?...What in Heaven's name is he doing?" Melania exclaimed, prying back the little curtains on the window and saw him just sitting there in the buckboard. "Well, Melania...you won't know unless you go out there, looks like." She said to herself, grabbed a thick robe and put it over her nightgown and put on some thick soled slippers and went outside.

"George! What do you think you're doing? Are you crazy?" She laughed. "Why haven't you gone home?"

"Crazy?...Me, crazy?" He laughed. "I'm not the one standing outside in January in their nightclothes!"

Melania chuckled. "Its not that cold! Just a little nippy!" She said, rubbing her arms. "Well, why haven't you gone home yet?"

"Guess I'm like a stray cat. Can't get rid of me." He laughed.

"Oh George." Melania giggled, shaking her head.

"I'm just kidding...Was just sitting out here...thinking."

"About?" She asked.

"You." George Jr. stated. "You worry me, Lana."

"George..." Melania breathed. "George, you don't have to worry over me...I'm fine." She said, and she could see her breath in the chilly air. George Jr. got down from the buckboard.

"I know its not my business...but I...Lana, you really worried me about what happened at that party tonight...You seemed a little scared...and yet madder than a hornet!...You just worried me. And I can't see someone that I care about like that."

"Why?" Melania asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"'Cause,..I love ya..."

Melania was a little taken aback and wasn't sure of what to say. "Um...Thank you...George." She swallowed a lump in her throat. Thought she was about to start crying right in front of him...She didn't know why.

"Okay if I come in and we can talk about what happened with you tonight?"

"Fine." Melania stated. "I was just about to make some coffee for myself, someone to drink it with won't hurt." She smiled, and walked into the little house, with George Jr. following behind her.

"Never knew you drank coffee, Lana." George said, as she was pouring in a little bit of milk and sugar into his cup.

"Well, I don't drink it almost straight black like you!" Melania laughed. "Its practically flooded with milk, a little sugar...otherwise I just don't care for the taste of it."

"Then why drink it?"

"Its cheap...A pound of cheap coffee cost 35 cents...Tea for a pound costs...oh about 38 cents last time I checked..."

"What's a few cents to you?"

"A lot." Melaina said. "Yes, I know...my family was well provided for...but I'm out on my own now...with our daughter..." She looked away from him a moment and paused, but then looked at him again. "...money doesn't always come pouring in. With my job...I'm doing the best that I can, you see." Melania said quickly.

"I know how that feels...Seen plenty of that while I was growing up."

There was a moment of silence until George Jr. spoke again. "What happened tonight? Why were you walking home...when I told you I'd pick you up?"

Melania was afraid she wouldn't be able to tell him! "You want the truth?"

"Well, yeah, Lana...You wouldn't lie to me, would ya?"

"Umm...no." She said quickly. "Its a long story...I umm...I kissed Urban Haas."

"Oh..."

Melania didn't want to hurt him...she thought she had, considering he told her he loved her. "Its nothing like that, George. Some guy was drunk...well, close to it and made up this new tradition where a new couple needs to kiss if they were together when the New Year came..."

"You're interested in Urban?" He questioned.

"Ha!...Me? Interested in him?...No way!" Melania laughed. "He's my boss! Besides, he's five years younger than me!...You've got to me kidding me! No, I'm not interested in Urban."

"Good...because that's the stupidest thing I ever heard of! The new 'tradition', that is." George Jr. laughed. "And well, the thought that you were interested in Urban, too."

"I agree!" She chuckled. "I figured somebody spiked his punch with some whiskey or something." Melania took a sip of her coffee, and looked at George and started to chuckle again. "Could you imagine that? Me...almost in my 30's...courting a man in his early 20's? Stupidest thing I ever heard of..." She laughed.

"Aww...30's young. Still capable of turning heads...Mine especially." He said quietly. "Even though I may be a single man...haven't loved a woman since you..." He paused. "Oh, I should just shut up, before I say something that could get me in trouble."

"Maybe so." Melania said, taking another sip of her coffee.

"So...what happened tonight? You kissed him..." He said. "And..."

"Oh, I kissed him, all right! They kept hollering, 'Kiss her!...Kiss her!...Kiss her!' And so I grabbed him...and well...you can use your imagination on that one."

"Was quite a kiss, eh?"

"Mmhhmm..." Melania smiled at him. "You should know...remember our first kiss?"

"I remember...took my breath away!" George Jr. laughed. "Out in the woods off of Peru Road...I'll never forget it."

"I'm guessing that's what I did to Urban." Melania laughed. "Because he was stunned!...but I guess that one guy...umm...liked what he saw...and wanted me to..." She began.

George Jr. wasn't sure what she meant at first, so she went on. "He put his arm around me, George...He tried forcing me...to..umm..to..." She began, but she felt tears starting to fall. Melania turned her head away and dabbed her eyes with her fingers.

"No!...well, that dirty scum!...Lana, are you okay?" He asked, getting up and going over to her.

She looked over and saw him kneeling by her side. "I'm fine...I don't know why I'm even crying. I'm sorry..."

"Well, you were scared! How could you not cry about it?...What happened after that?" He asked, laying a hand on her shoulder, but let go quickly, unsure if she would appreciate him touching her.

"I told him to let go of me several times...When he didn't, I just,...rammed my elbow into his stomach."

George Jr. laughed. "Did that make him let go?"

"No...just stunned him. Guess I didn't do it hard enough."

"Well, how'd you get him away from you?"

"I took off my boot." She smirked.

"You hit him over the head with it?" George Jr. questioned.

"No, but I was going to!" Melania said. "And I'd do more than just hit him, I pound his head in with it!...I don't want to get into that again...The sex, I mean..."

George Jr. was quiet for awhile. "I'm still ashamed that I..." He began, but was at a loss for words.

Melania took his hand in one of hers. "That's not exactly what I meant, George...and it wasn't just you. We both made that choice...and...I loved you, George. Really, I did."

"When you left...I really thought you didn't want someone like me! A fat...poor...stupid farm boy."

"Stop it. Don't put yourself down...You're not fat..." She began.

"I wasn't the thinnest guy, you know."

"You're not poor and you're not stupid!" Melania continued. She sat there looking at him. "And don't be ashamed of what we did...Look at its outcome." She smiled, laying a hand on his.

George Jr. smiled. "Mary Jane is pretty great...Isn't she."

"She is..." Melania smiled. Her eyes drifted to her hand, which was still on top of George Jr.'s, as did his eyes...and Melania quickly pulled her hand back.

"I uh...I um...I guess I better be getting on home...folks are probably a little worried about me..." George Jr. said, an got up and walked to the door. "See ya, Lana." He smiled a little.

"Bye, George." Melania said softly.

George stood there and lingered at the door awhile, and he left.

Melania gently grasped her cup of coffee and took another drink. The door burst open again it startled her a little.

"Sorry Lana. Didn't mean to scare ya."

"Its all right, George. You just made me jump a little, is all...Why back so soon?" She smirked, but then her little smirk turned into a grin.

"Just wanted to let you know I can drive you back and forth from work again...my job is later in the day...so...and I'm hoping I can do it all next winter for you, if you want me to..."

"Well, thank you, George." She smiled.

"Well, I'll be seeing ya." He smiled, winked at her and then finally he left.

Melania smirked and laughed to her self. "What a copy-cat...acting like a little boy. Yet, how he makes me laugh...I can't think of anyone else that makes me laugh like that." She smiled and soon finished her cup of coffee and went up to bed.


	45. Chapter 45

"Ma...can I use your thimble? I wanna try and sew a quilt!" Mary Jane asked her mother one evening.

"Of course you may...Its probably up in my room with the rest of my sewing things, sweetie."

"Thanks Ma!" She said, running up to her mother's room, found her little sewing kit, opened it and searched for the tiny thimble.

"Found it!" Mary Jane exclaimed to herself, grabbed the thimble and turned and took a step, when she stepped on something.

"Pictures..." She found two pictures on the floor and picked them up. "Must've fell out...Is this me when I was a baby? They look sort of like me." Mary Jane examined the two pictures, both of which of course were a picture of a baby. "They both can't be me...They look a little different." She turned them over and read one of them..."Paul..." And the last name she couldn't read as it was smudged. It also had a date written, but she couldn't quite make it out...she glanced at the back of the other picture..."Ja.." She began, but a voice startled her.

"Mary Jane...What are you doing with those?"

"I...I found them, Ma."

"I don't want you looking through my things...Give those to me, please."

"But I wasn't sneaking through your things." She said, as truthful as could be.

"Mary Jane, give me those photographs...now!"

"Here...Ma." Mary Jane said softly, handing the pictures to her mother.

"I don't want you ever going through my things again...Please...stay out of them." Melania told her daughter, clutching the pictures to her chest. She was breathing hard, and there was a slight panic in her voice.

"Yes Ma..." Mary Jane said, in a puzzled voice. Her mother had never acted this way before. "I'm sorry."

"Its okay...Just...just don't go looking through my things again, okay. Some things are private. Would you want someone going through your private things?"

"No Ma...I'm sorry." A tear began to slide down Mary Jane's cheek, and seconds later they became more frequent. She wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to stay calm...she wasn't a little girl anymore. She was twelve now, almost a teenager! She knew that crying like she had when she ever got in trouble was quite childish now.

"Mary Jane...I'm sorry, sweetheart...I didn't mean to be short with you." Melania appoligized, putting her arms around her. "I'm sorry..." She started crying a little hereslf.

"I should've given you the pictures back the first time you told me...I'm sorry, Ma. I didn't listen to you. I need to be disciplined."

"No...you're getting too old of a girl to spank anymore...You're growing up, sweetheart. You know what you did wrong." Melania smiled down at her daughter, smoothing her dark brown hair.

"And I know not to do it again...I don't want to hurt you, Ma." Mary Jane said, hugging her mother a little closer. "And I was telling the truth! I found the pictures, I wasn't going through your things...I found the pictures on the floor...they must've..."

"Enough confessing, Mary Jane!" Melania laughed. "I believe you, sweetheart."

"Okay Ma." Mary Jane smiled.

"Now, go get the rest of my sewing things and go down to the front room...I'll be down in a minute." Melania said and Mary Jane grabbed the little box where her mother kept her sewing things in and left the room and went downstairs.

Melania stood in the middle of her room, the pictures clutched to her chest. She couldn't bear to look at them again. She was afraid that she would start crying. She took one single glance at them and almost lost herself, so she quickly stuck them back where they belonged.

Fred and Frances arrived at church one Sunday morning in March. Fred went off to spend time with some of the men before the service, which left Frances to watch over little Freddy. She went to their pew and set her Bible down and looked back and saw Freddy.

"C'mon! I know you can walk!...C'mon!" She smiled, as he just stood there in the church's doorway. She smiled as he made his way in and over to their pew. Frances knew she couldn't bend down very well to pick him up as she was eight months along in her pregnancy now, so she sat down and Freddy just stood there next to her. He was trying to climb onto the wooden pew at one point, and Frances helped him up as best she could.

"He is such a little cutie, Frances!" Helen Clark Spencer, her best friend came over to talk. "I saw him walk in! He wasn't walking the last time we saw him, was he?"

"No he wasn't. Just started walking!...He sure keeps Fred and me busy!" She laughed.

"Oh, I bet!" Helen chuckled. "He's just so cute!" She laughed as he had gotten off the pew and another little girl was chasing him and he was squealing and running from her.

"Excuse me a moment, I need to go get him..." Frances said, trying her best to get up from her spot.

"Oh, nonsense! Just watch him! Besides, its cute!" Helen smiled, looking at him as he was up by the little pulpit.

"Ahhh...no." She smirked and shook her head. "I am not having my son run in church." Frances replied, getting up and walking over to him. She grabbed his little hand and started to walk back over to their pew. "Freddy, we don't run..." Frances made it back, sat down next to Helen Spencer and placed Freddy next to her.

"So how are you feeling Frances?"

"I was just going to ask you that, have to see to my patients...AND take care of my best friend!" Helen smiled, giving her a one armed hug.

"Thanks Helen." Frances giggled. "Oh, and I'm feeling fine, Mrs. Clark. Just fine."

"Has it been an easy pregnancy for you?" She asked.

"Well, I never thought of pregnancy as easy!" Frances laughed. "There are symptoms that I had my first pregnancy, that I don't have now...and then there are symptoms like the morning sickness and the fainting that I didn't have before...Every pregnancy is different, they say..."

"That's true."

"But I do have one symptom that I had in my first pregnancy...nosebleeds. I get them at the start of my pregnancy and towards the end. Such a weird symptom!" Frances laughed. "I guess its just one of those reaccuring things..."

"It could be..."

"Ma is worried about me...She keeps ordering me to make an appoinment with your husband!"

"Wouldn't hurt...You never know if something could be wrong is all..." Mrs. Clark said, gently patting Frances' knee.

Frances sighed. "I know that, Mrs. Clark...Sometimes I just wish my mother would leave my own business to me...I'm an adult woman! Almost 20 years old! I can take care of myself!" She said determinedly.

"You're so much like you're mother, Frances." Mrs. Clark chuckled a little. "You both have that same fiesty, stubborn, bull-headed temperment!"

"Ha! I know that!...If you'll excuse me, I need to go get my son once again..." She said as she caught him sneaking off and down to the next couple pews. Two little girls began to chase him now.

"Freddy..." She said, and saw him turning his head at the sound of her voice. He didn't know where she was exactly!

"Mama's right here." She chuckled at him. Frances took his hand again. "No running in church, Freddy." She told him with a stern voice. "Once more and you get a spanking!" She warned.

"May I look after Freddy for you, Mrs. Lay?" A young girl asked. She was about 14 years old.

"Yes Violet...you may. That would help me out tremdously! Thank you!"

"May I take him outside so he can run around?"

"Yes...but keep an eye on him...and make sure he minds you, all right?"

"Don't worry! I'll keep a good eye on him! Won't let him out of my sight!...I promise!"

"All right then." Frances smiled. "Just bring him back when church starts, all right?"

"Yes Ma'am, Mrs. Lay!" Violet smiled and took Freddy by the hand and went outside. Frances went back to her pew and talked with the women awhile.

"So...do you want me to drop a word to my husband for you. Just to get things checked out?"

"Well, with the way my mother keeps nagging me...I suppose so." Frances said.

A few weeks had passed and Mary Jane was still curious about those pictures of her mother's...she snuck in her room to try and find them, but never could. She figured her mother had changed their hiding spot or something.

"You won't give it a rest...Will you Mary Jane?" Melania asked her daughter, walking into her bedroom one morning as she saw her daughter looking for the pictures once again.

"Sorry Ma." She jumped at the sound of her voice..."I...I'm just curious."

"Well, I know that..." Melania said.

"Ma...I want to find out who they are...What their names are...Ev..." Mary Jane began.

"I will tell you who they are to you...and their first name..."

"Fine..." Mary Jane smiled. That seemed all right with her. Melania just wanted anything to end the girl's constant searching and wondering! It was beginning to drive her completely berserk!

Melania took the pictures and sat down on the bed next to her daughter. She took one of the photographs and showed it to Mary Jane..."This is your older brother...Paul..." She could barely get the words out...She tried her best, but telling her daughter this little piece of information was hard for her, even though it wasn't much... Melania took the other picture of the other baby and let Mary Jane look at it...

Mary Jane turned the photograph over and read the name silently to herself..."My other brother...James." She stated.

Melaina felt as if she were about to cry, but she stayed strong. "Yes...Now, that's all you need to know for now...You need to go get ready for school."

"Yes Ma." Mary Jane said solemnly, sat there but a few moments, and got up and walked out of the room.

Melania sat there on the bed awhile. A long while...Thinking back to years before...and she couldn't handle the memory of it! She wasn't in the best mood to start with...she realized this depression of hers had been welling up inside her for some time. She started to cry and soon broke down and started sobbing into her pillow. "What were you thinking you...you stupid broad?...You stupid...aweful...whore!" She screamed and sobbed into the pillow. "Why did you do that?...What the hell were you thinking?...You idiot!" She screamed to herself and pounded her fists into her bed covers. "You're so...STUPID, Melania!" She screamed to herself. She layed there on her bed for hours and hours. All she could do was sob.

The days and weeks had passed, and Melania grew deeper and deeper into her depression, though unknown to her daughter. Mary Jane figured that something strange was going on, but she didn't know the truth...how far into depression that her mother was. She said goodbye to her mother and walked out the door, to join some other girls so they could walk to school that morning in early April.

Melania wanted to end her life. She got herself thinking she wasn't worthy to live anymore! She didn't wish to live another day! She didn't see a reason to. Melania went downstairs serching for something she could use to end her life. Anything she had on hand! She didn't care what...she just wanted to end it all. Melania walked into the kitchen, and it didn't take long for her to find one of her butchering knives. She picked up the sharp object and with a shaking hand, placed it on her wrist. "Just do it!...You don't deserve life!" She said to herself. She started to cut on her wrist and then proceeded to make more long gashes on her tiny wrist with the knife...Melania knew she had cut through just enough to get a steady blood flow going...Melania figured it was working. She was bleeding. Dark red blood was seeping from the fresh knife wound. She was about to make more gashes up her thin arm with the knife.

"Lana...are you ready?" Geore Jr. walked through the door, and soon as he saw her, he stopped. He saw the knife...He saw the blood...He saw her fingers in a clawed formation. It was the most gruesome thing he had ever seen...George knew what she was trying to do to hereslf. "Oh my God!"

Melania made another cut up her wrist. Her wrist was aching something fierce...but she didn't care!

"Lana!...Why the Hell...?" He began...In his voice, you could tell he was about to start weeping.

"Go away George! Leave me alone!" She said, her slashed hand griping the handle of the butcher knife, shaking violently. She was about to slash her other wrist.

"I'm not leaving..."

"Go away and leave me the hell alone!" She screamed at him, "Just get out of here! Get out!" She screamed again, as he took hold of her. "GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!..."

"Give me the knife."

"No! I need it! I NEED IT!...I don't want to live!...Let me go!" Melania tried laying punches on him with her good hand.

"Give me the knife, Lana!" He yelled at her, and yanked the handle away from her and threw the knife against the wall, so she couldn't reach it. His hands gripped her arms, and he could feel the blood from her wrist seeping through his clothes...

"George, let me go! Let go of me! Let me die! I don't want to live...I don't deserve to! LET ME DIE, GEORGE!" She screamed, struggling against him. "Let me die! Just let me DIE!" She wailed.

"I won't!" He yelled, and shook her a little. "I WON'T! Do you hear me?...You don't deserve to DIE! You deserve to LIVE!...I won't let you die! I love you, Lana!...I love you!" He said, and he knew he meant it.

"No one loves me!" She sobbed. "NO ONE loves a whore! A whore is what I am, George!...Let me die! It'll be better that way!"

"No you're not! You're not a whore! Don't you ever say that again!" He yelled at her.

"I am!" She wailed. "I am a whore! A Jezebel...I'm a fornicator!" Melania screamed.

"Then I'm a fornicator too...I did the same sin you did, Lana!..."

"You don't get it!" She screamed at him..."I was a whore! A prostitute, George! I'm a loose woman!...I've had three different children from three different men! I never told you!" She sobbed. "I had my first baby when I was 14! I was too young to be a mother and I knew it, so I sent him to an orphange! I vowed if it ever happened again, I'd do things differently...and then Mary Jane came along two years later! I stayed true to my vow and I kept her! I kept my baby!" Tears had began again...like a waterfall. "But then I made the same STUPID mistake two years later when I was 18!" Melania screamed. "James was sickly...I was only 18! I couldn't take care of two little ones by myself!" She started sobbing onto his broad shoulder. "Just let me DIE, George! A whore doesn't derserve to live! Let me die!"

George felt her go limp in his arms...He saw she was uncontious and did some quick thinking and picked up her tiny frame in his arms and started out the door and down the road to Dr. Clark's office. He saw someone on the way there.

"Fred!...FRED, stop a minute!" He yelled.

"What's going on, George?" Fred Lay stopped his team of horses..."Melania..." Was all he could say. He was shocked as he saw her wrist drop down and you could see the damage she had done...Blood was everywhere. On George's clothes...Her clothes. A little blood was still coming from Melania's wrist as well.

"She tried...killing herself." George Jr. stated. He didn't seem so strong and manly now, he thought he'd start crying as they spoke. A quick idea popped into his head. "You were a medic in the war! Can ya help her?...Please!"

"George...I handled gun-shot wounds. Not so much sword and knife wounds. I did, but I was better with the gun-shots...Doc Clark better handle this." He said, jumping down from the buckboard. "Get her in the back..." Fred said, bringing down the little board...he helped George lay Melania in, and they got in and rushed off to the Doc's office. They got there, finally...Fred jumped down from the buckboard. "Stay with her, George." He ordered, and ran to Dr. Clark's office and began pounding on the door. "Doc Clark!...Doc Clark, open up!" Fred yelled, pounding on the front door. The doctor's daughter, Helen Clark Spencer, his nurse, opened it.

"My father's off on a call...What's the matter, Mr. Lay?"

"Its Melania Loney...Look, I don't really know all the details...but she needs medical help...NOW."

"Bring her in..."

The two men brought Melania in, and layed her down on a little bed in the front room.

"She's weak from the blood loss...That much I know...Sorry, I've never dealt with this before...I'm a midwife...My mother and I bring lives into the world...my father works on trying to save them!...I'll try my best though...We need bandages! Something to stop the bleeding." She went to the little shelves and grabbed the wrap-around bandages. "What did she do?" She came over and started to try to get Melania's wrist to stop bleeding.

"Tried commiting suicide." George Jr. spoke up.

"Oh my Lord..." Helen gasped. "Darn it, anyhow!...I can't get the bleeding to stop!" She said, angrily.

"Here move over, I'll see if I can get it..." Fred said. "C'mon!...C'mon, damn you! Stop already!" He said, a little agitated and applied pressure to Melana's limp wrist. "I need some cold water! Cold as you can get it! Hurry!" Helen grabbed a water bucket and went out to the well, and soon returned with a bucket of cold water. "I need those bandages!" He shouted, and when he was given them, he waded up a few bandages and applied more pressure. "I need something to disinfect the wound...and I need to stitch this one gash up...Quickly please!" Helen grabbed a bottle from off the shelf and other materials. Fred got the bleeding to stop, and he proceeded to sew up the one aweful gash on Melania's wrist. "There...I finally got it..." He said, bandaging up the rest of her wrist and hand.

"Thought you couldn't do that..." George Jr. said.

"Well, I knew that much from being a war medic...Now all we can do is pray."

"Pray for a miracle." Helen added.

"That's right..." Fred said. "George, stay with her till she wakes up..."

"Of course."

"Now, I need to be on my way...Sorry, but I've got to get to work at the Star Brewery...Tell me what happens..

"We understand...and don't worry, we will...I think you may have just saved a life, Mr. Lay. Ever think of changing your ocupation and becoming a doctor?" Helen smiled.

"No ma'am, I haven't." Fred laughed. "I'm content with what I'm doing. Pays the bills, at least."

"I was just pulling your leg." She chuckled.

"I know." Fred laughed. "Well, I've gotta be going. We'll see ya..." He said, and walked out of the doc's office, got into his buckboard and drove off to work.

George Jr. sat there with Melania, just gazing at her. He sat there praying for her. He was scared...and it broke his heart that she tried to do away with hereslf. He didn't understand it...He could now hear Melania's steady breathing and saw her start to stir.

"Lana..." He said quietly.

"Am I dead?...Did I die after all?"

"No...you're still alive..."

"Damn it." She said, angered by her outcome.

"Melania! What's your problem?...The swearing! You trying to commit suicide! You've changed!"

"Why do you care?" She spat, turning her head away from him.

"I care, because I care about YOU...I love you Melania...I don't want to see you this way."

"Stop saying that!" She yelled at him, starting to cry again. "Why would you love...a...a whore?"

"Melania..."

"Admit it, George!...That's what I am!"

"No, that's what you WERE! Admit that to yourself, Lana..."

"Why didn't you just let me die? The world would be a better place without me...A damn better place!" She hissed.

"Stop it!" George Jr. "I've said it before and I'll say it again...I love you and I don't want to see you like this..."

She ignored what he said. "Where am I anyway?

"Doc Clark's office..."

"Figures you'd take me to get help..."

"Lana..."

"Doc Clark fix me up, then?"

"No...Fred Lay. He saved your life, Melania."

"Life...Not a life worth living, I say..."

"Think of those who love you...Think of Mary Jane! What would it do to her if you had actually killed yourself! She'd be absolutely devestated!...I would be too!"

"Yes, I know, I have people that love me...you've said that enough...but what about me? I'll never find someone to love! I feel like giving up!"

"Don't give up...You'll find someone...Trust me." George said. "I won't doubt it...As beautiful as you are...You get some rest now. I'll still be here."

Melania stared at him, and slowly but surely, it began to dawn on her. "You're going to stay here with me? All day?...You really do care about me."

"Yes I do. I really do...love you." George Jr. said, grasping her small hand in his.

"Thank you, George." She smiled.


	46. Chapter 46

Dr. Clark pulled up to his doctor's office that also doubled as a home for him and his wife. His daughter Helen met him at the door and told him all about Melania and how Fred had stepped in and basically saved her life. Dr. Clark figured he would look over her and see how she was doing.

"How is she, Gruber?" He came in and asked George Jr. who was sitting at Melania's bedside.

"She's fine. Fred Lay..." George Jr. began.

"I know! My daughter told me all about it...heard he did a fine job. I just wanted to see how she is now..."

"Well, she's resting now..." George Jr. replied.

"Let me just take a look-see at her wrist, okay..." Dr. Clark smiled and examined her bandaged wrist. He thought things were in order. "Lay did a mighty fine job...Wrist should heal soon...may lose some feeling in the one part of her hand though..."

"She'll be okay, though...Right?"

"She'll be fine..." Dr. Clark said. "I'll check with her in a few days...See how healing's coming along...She can go back home today...but it would be great if someone was with her...to watch over her...You up for the job, Gruber?"

"Yes sir, Dr. Clark..." George Jr. nodded.

Dr. Clark smiled. "I thought you wouldn't mind..." He walked into another room and left George Jr. there, still sitting at her bedside.

"George...You're still here?" Melania mumbled as she opened her eyes and turned her head and saw him still sitting there next to her bed.

"Sure I am...Told you I'd be here...I wouldn't leave you." He whispered. Melania tried to sit up a little.

"Errrmmmmm...my hand." She moaned in pain.

"Here, I'll help ya get comfortable..." George Jr. said, helping her sit upright and put some pillows behind her back. "Hand's still painful..." He stated the obvious.

"Mmmhhhmmm..." Melania laid her head back against the pillow.

"Doc gave a little morphine for the pain. It'll help…..He says you might lose feeling in that right hand of yours...You did a lot of damage, Lana..."

"Yeah...all because of me...Stupid me."

"Lana...stop! I'm sick of you putting yourself down!"

Melania was silent a few minutes...until she spoke again. "You have to admit...it was stupid of me...to try what I did."

"You obviously know you were wrong...now stop putting yourself down!" George Jr. told her. "Doc says you can go home today...I'll take you home. And I'll look after you a few days."

"George, I don't expect you to do that...I can get around! I just can't use my hand!"

"Lana...I want to do this."

Melania was about to protest again...until she stopped and thought a little. She decided to let go of her pride! And she was being selfish...with her depression she was thinking only of herself! How SHE felt...How the world was treating HER! How living HER own life was worthless! How SHE wanted to die! She knew her error...and decided to let him do what he wanted..."I guess I can't say no...Can I?" Melania smiled.

"No, you can't." George Jr. grinned. "You ready to go home?"

"Sure..."

George Jr. let Dr. Clark know that he and Melania were leaving, and so they set out with George's arm around her, walking her home.

"Mary Jane?...Are you home yet?" Melania asked when they had arrived home later that day.

Mary Jane came bounding into the front room. "Got home not too long ago, Ma….You scared me a little when I saw you weren't here…." She said, and looked down and stared at the bandage on her mother's hand. "What happened to your hand, Ma?"

"I don't think your Ma's too up to talking about what happened…and you really don't need to know about it, Squirt…" George Jr. told his 12 year old daughter, and he was slightly stern with her…

"Yes Pa….Sorry that I asked."

Melania looked at her daughter and then at George. "Your father's right, sweetheart….Just don't worry about me, all right? I'll be fine…my hand will heal."

"Okay, Ma."

Melania smiled at her daughter. "Your father is going to be staying with us for a few days…..He wants to make sure that I have someone with me, helping me while my hand and my wrist heals…."

"Really, Pa?" Mary Jane exclaimed excitedly and threw her arms around her father.

"Really, Squirt!" He laughed.

Mary Jane had an arm around her father's waist, and put her other arm around her mother. "This is gonna be so great!" She smiled and looked up at both of them.

Frances was at her doctor's for that special appointment that Mrs. Clark…and her mother…had told her to make. She didn't think it was needed and thought it was a waste of time…and money.

"So you've been having nosebleeds, I hear?"

"Yes sir…if you remember, I got them in the beginning of my first pregnancy…and towards the end. Same symptom this time around….my mother's worried for me though."

"Well, it could be because the weather's changed so fast…You know from the bitter winter to warmer spring…."

"Yes, I used to get nosebleeds as a child because of the weather."

"Well, that's one of the may be causes of your symptom!" Dr. Clark paused and then began to chuckle a little. "And yet, pregnancy is such an interesting thing! You see, your body's producing more blood for you and for your baby…and that makes the blood vessels in your nose more sensitive and it's easier for them to burst, causing the nosebleeds….It's completely harmless and at most…quite annoying…"

"So do you think that that's my problem?" Frances questioned him.

"Yes….but if it gets worse, just let me know…."

"I will, Dr. Clark…"

"Just a little tip, drink plenty of water to keep yourself all hydrated….and try to make sure your surroundings aren't so dry …It will make a great difference."

"Yes sir…" Frances nodded.

They continued the doctor's visit with checking on the baby and making sure that everything was in order…which it was. Mother and her unborn child were perfectly healthy and there was nothing to worry about after all….

"I assume that my wife and daughter will be seeing you quite soon…Next few days, week's maybe…."

"I sure think so...I sure feel ready to have this baby!" Frances laughed, placing her hands on her lower back… "Been having some back pain…Not bad though."

"I know you'll let them know when you need them….I hope it will be an easy delivery for you…"

"I hope so too." She laughed. "I was a bundle of nerves and all emotional the first time I gave birth! Just ask my mother!...It was quite a disaster, trust me!"

"Well, I'm quite sure this time around will be a little easier…not extremely though, they call it labor after all…."

"It's hard work! That's for sure!" She exclaimed.

"You'll at least be calmer knowing it's not in the middle of a blizzard!" Dr. Clark chuckled. "And I very well know that my wife and daughter will help keep you calm…"

"Thank you, Dr. Clark…." Frances shook the middle-aged man's hand, paid him for the visit, and went on home, just in time to start on supper for her family…. She was at the woodstove when her husband returned home from work.

"Hey 'Frisky'" Fred put an arm around her and kissed her cheek. "Your day go well?"

Frances smirked at him calling her the little nickname…but she couldn't help but smile at it. It was a cute nickname after all. And it matched her personality! That was for sure!

"My day went all right….I went to that little appointment Ma was pushing me to make….." She said, starting to set the table.

"Everything okay?" He asked, a little concerned.

"Fred John….I'm fine…the baby's perfectly fine….There's not a thing to worry about!"

"Sorry, ya just scared me a little…Well, why did your Ma want you to make the appointment again?"

"My nosebleeds…..Doc Clark says it's nothing to worry about….I knew that! But you know how my Ma can be….Pushy….controlling!" She huffed, slamming a small bowl of stew on the table. "I'm sorry I'm a little moody right now….."

"You take time to calm down a little then…..Supper ready?"

Frances looked at him. "You see it on the table….Don't you?" She snapped…and walked into the front room to get Freddy. He walked through the front room and through Frances' sewing/sitting room, and into the kitchen. Frances followed him.

"You gonna eat too?" Fred asked.

"Yes, of course I'm going to eat!" She told him, getting annoyed. "I wanted to make sure Freddy was set….But I can't bend down to pick him up anymore! You're going to have to…." Frances said, sliding into her chair. She was fed up with being pregnant. She was a week or so late and it was getting to her.

"Well, he can sit on Papa's lap then…." Fred grinned and picked up Freddy. He moved Freddy's bowl so it was in front of him and said a prayer so they could eat.

"Make sure his stew is cooled down! I don't want him scorching himself…."

"I did, honey…." Fred said, taking a little bite of his own stew.

"I'm sorry I've been short with you since you've gotten home…."

"It's all right!" Fred smiled. "You just eat your supper….."

"I will….then I'm going to rest in my rocking chair awhile…I may even go lay down…."

"You feeling tired?"

Frances placed her tiny fingers across her forehead and rolled her eyes…."No, Fred!...I just thought I'd lay down for the fun of it! Of course I'm tired!...I'm pregnant…Huge, in case you haven't noticed! My back is killing me…"

"Baby takes a lot of you, eh?"

"Gee!….I didn't know that!…." Frances said sarcastically.

"Still haven't picked any names yet…"

"David!...David John if it's a boy, okay? That fine with you?" She snapped.

"I think that's a wonderful name…." Fred smiled, trying to ignore his wife's current attitude. "Now we need to pick a name for a girl….How about Fran…." Fred began.

"I swear! If you try pulling that Franziska Rose thing on me again, I will make you pay!"

"How about Frances, then?"

"Why do you want to name the baby after me?" She questioned and almost started to weep.

"Because I love you…You're my wife…I think you should be honored! You've named our son after me…why not our daughter after you?"

"You don't even know if we're having a girl, and there's no way to know for sure until I have the baby!...Fine! Middle name! That's it! She can have my name for her middle name…That I will tolerate."

"Rose Frances….hmmm…Naw, I don't think that sounds right…."

"That's the stupidest name I ever heard of!" Frances said, getting up from her seat. "I need time to myself!" She walked off into her sitting room, in tears. "I'm sorry, I just need time alone!"

Little Freddy turned his head upward, and looked at Fred. "It's okay Snickelfritz…..Mama's just not feeling like herself right now…." Fred told his 1 year old, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"I told you never to call him that!" Fred heard her call from the next room…You could hear her sobbing.

Fred and little Freddy quietly finished their supper while Frances tried to calm herself down so she could try to rest.

Frances sat there rocking in her rocking chair, her eyes finally dry, when her husband and 1 year old son came into the room. Fred set him down on the floor, patted his little back and Freddy walked off into the front room to play.

"You all right, honey?" Fred whispered, kneeling down at the side of the rocking chair.

"I'm fine…." She breathed inward, trying to make it so she wouldn't cry again. "I'm sorry I've been so moody and angry and annoyed and…."

"Hey, hey, hey…." Fred said soothingly, placing a firm hand over her petite one. "I know you can't help it…It's those crazy hormones and how you're feeling lately…."

"You're a man! You don't know what it feels like to be pregnant!"

"I know I don't…." He laughed a little. "…..All I can do is to be there for you…And I am…"

"I know you are….and I'm sorry I get short with you sometimes….."

Fred smiled a little. "I could say I don't know how you women do it…Stay so strong with only a breakdown every now and then…but its how God created y'all….He knew you could handle it…."

"No….it's because the serpent tricked Eve, she ate the forbidden fruit….and now that's why we go through hell for nine months!"

"Nice interpretation!" Fred laughed. "But if I remember correctly Adam ate it too…."

"Yes, he did!...Because she gave it to him….and the coward blamed it on her! And then blamed God!"

"He did?"

"Yes…Adam said, "The woman….that thou gavest me!"

"You remember Eve told the Lord,…and I'm paraphrasing, I think," Fred chuckled a little and continued what he was going to say. "Eve told God, "The serpent tricked me and I did eat."

"Yes….and then the serpent lost his legs and then had to slither on the ground so he could get around and Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, and now he have the world we have today…" Frances said.

Fred smiled. "Nice little Bible study going on here."

"Yes, how did we turn this into a Bible study?" She laughed. "What were we talking about?"

"I was saying how you women can handle pregnancy….He created you that way because you knew you could handle it….Do you honestly think a man could?"

Frances started laughing. "That's! That's the funniest thing I think I've ever heard in my whole lifetime!...You'd be screaming your head off!...Oh my gosh, you wouldn't be able to make it!" She continued to laugh uncontrollably.

"Let's hope laughing doesn't induce labor!" Fred said.

"I sure hope it would!...I wouldn't mind having this baby now!" Frances said, still laughing her head off. "Why are my babies always late?"

"Guess that's just how your body is…And speaking of your body, that and God is the judge of when you're going to have our baby…"

"Oh, I know….I'm gonna go lay down for a little nap, all right honey?"

"All right….Have a good one then!" Fred smiled and helped her stand to her feet.

"I sure hope I do…The baby….my goodness it's a little troublemaker! Whenever I want to sleep, it's up, kicking the fire out of me!"

"She's probably saying, "Get up, Mama! I want to play!"

"Probably does…This one's way more active than Freddy ever was!" She laughed, placing her hands on her belly.

"Bet she's just like her Ma….Frisky and feisty…" He smiled, placing a hand over hers and then moved it so he could feel the baby kicking…."I was right! She's a feisty one!" Fred chuckled.

"Well, I'm going to lie down and see if the other feisty one will calm down a little." Frances laughed, heading into the room Fred set up for her downstairs. "And honey?" She said, stopping at the door.

"Yeah?" Fred grinned, hooking his thumbs in his trouser pockets.

"You'll never stop calling the baby a girl, will you?" She smiled.

"I guess not." He chuckled. "I just have a feeling…."

"I do too…Well; we'll find out pretty soon, I'm sure." Frances said, turning to go into the room.

Fred smiled….but then stopped and thought. "Wait a minute….Honey!" He said, rushing over to her.

"What Fred?"

"Are…Are you trying to tell me,….what I think you're trying to tell me?"

"Calm down, Fred….I just said soon….I didn't mean right now!" Frances laughed.

"The next few days, then…."

"That's what I'm thinking…..I can feel it."

"How much pain are you in?"

"Not a lot…I'm going to lie down now…."

"You yell for me if you need me…."

"Honey, calm down! I'm just going lay down for a little rest….I didn't say I was going into labor tonight!" Frances said, laughing at him a little.

"Well, you never know…."

"I promise you I'll tell you if anything happens…." She smiled, and walked into the room.

She stifled a little laugh again and sat eased herself down on the bed. "Well Baby, let's see if you can calm down a little so Mama can rest, huh?" Frances said, placing a hand on her belly. She lay down on her left side and got as comfortable as she could….and after quite a while, she got to rest. A few hours later, Fred came into the room…

"I put Freddy to bed….How was your rest?"

"Fine….I didn't sleep…Just lay here for a bit."

"Can I…uh….lay here with you?" Fred raised his eyebrows a few times.

Frances chuckled a little. "Yes you may, Mr. Lay…" She moved over a little so he could lay next to her, and she soon felt an arm around her and kisses on her neck…"Mmmmm….Oh Fred!...Fred John….stop it! You're getting me excited!" She exclaimed and he started to unbutton her blouse. "Fred!"

"What's wrong with that? I do a good job at it…Don't I?"

Frances laughed…"Yes….Oh, you do! Don't worry about that…You do…."

"Then what's wrong, huh?" He asked as her blouse was unbuttoned and he was kissing her neck and collarbone and started moving lower.

"Believe me, I want you, but I don't think I have time right now…." She said, buttoning her blouse up again.

"Why not?" He kissed her lips and rubbed his cheek against hers.

"Fred….I think I may need to go to my mother's tonight….Why she wants her grandchildren born in her home, I'll never know, but I figure it will make her happy….besides, I just want to get this over with!"

Fred stared at her and didn't say a word.

Frances gave him a kiss on the lips. "Looks like you were right, earlier."

"I'll get your nightgown and a change of clothes….what else?" He said, grabbing things from the drawer for her….

"Nothing I can think of….we do need to find someone to look after Freddy for tonight and the next few days, unless you will…"

"Oh no, I want to be with you for this one….I'm not missing this baby's birth! I want to be there for you…."

"Honey, you can't do that….the most you can do is sit in the next room and wait….Men aren't allowed, even Dr. Clark isn't…."

"I want to be there for you….besides…your brothers were there when you had Freddy!"

"They didn't have a choice! And I wish they hadn't have been there in the first place! They didn't help any!"

"Well, who can watch Freddy?" Fred asked. "I tell you Frances, I'm gonna be there for you!"

"Well, thank you honey…" She chuckled. "Maybe Melania can watch him now that her hand is a little better….She won't need to do much of anything tonight, since he'll be sleeping."

"Well, let's get over there and ask!...Why are we just sitting here talking our mouths off?…"

"Honey, we don't need to rush…." Frances started to say.

"The sooner we get you to your parents' place the better off we are, so let's go!" He said, grabbing a sleeping Freddy, and they went outside and out to the buckboard…."I'll drop you off and then I'll stop by Melania's place and ask if she can watch him…"

"All right, honey…" She placed a hand on his knee and squeezed it a little.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" He asked.

"I'm in some….I'll be fine though…"

"Gosh, I'm so proud of you!"

"Fred, I'm starting to get annoyed with you!" Frances told him.

"Sorry…"

They stopped in front of her parent's place and Fred helped her down as carefully as he could.

"I love you…" Fred said, kissing her.

"I love you too…Now go." She laughed. Frances watched him drive off. She felt a contraction and breathed deeply, standing there awhile…..and then she knocked on the front door. Her brother John opened it.

"Hey Frances….C'mon in."

"I need Ma, John….." Was all she could say….and he KNEW what she meant! He practically ran into their parents' room and got his mother.

"John, go get Mrs. Clark and her daughter…one of them, anyway….."

"Yeah, Ma…" He said, running out the front door.

Frances and her mother went into a bedroom that used to be Joe's and Frances slipped into her nightgown and started taking out her bun.

"Yes, you do that Frances, I had my hair up when I was having little Katie…that was the most uncomfortable thing…." Franziska began.

"Yes mother, I know!..." She snapped at her.

"Frances…."

"I'm sorry, Ma….I know, I'm cranky….I'm in pain."

"Yes, I know how it feels…."

"You just don't need to do step-by-step instructions for little things like letting down my hair! I'm an adult! Not a child!...I'll be 20 next month!"

"Frances, this isn't getting off to a good start, you need to stay calm!"

Frances took a few deep breaths…."I'm trying to Ma…its hard when you're in pain…"

"Yes, I know….Let me rub your back. It'll help."

"Okay…" Frances said, and kneeled down at the side of the bed like she was going to say her prayers and her mother rubbed her back.

Fred was holding little Freddy in his arms, who was still sleeping away, and Fred furiously began to knock on Melania's front door and George Jr. opened it.

"George! Melania's here, right?"

"Yes, of course, I'm here…it's my home!" Melania laughed, who was standing behind George Jr.

"Sorry, my mind's elsewhere….I was wondering if you could watch Freddy for tonight. Frances is having the baby….she's at her parent's place now..." He said quickly. "It isn't too much trouble is it?"

"No…no…no, not at all!" Melania exclaimed. "George and I can look after him….can't we?" She smiled at George Jr.

"Uh…okay…" George Jr. choked out. He wasn't so sure! He wasn't that good with little children.

"Thanks so much guys! We'll make it up to you!" He said.

"No need…" Melania smiled. "Now, you've got to get going!"

"I know!" Fred said quickly and almost shoved little Freddy into George Jr.'s arms, and Fred was out of there as fast as you could blink an eye!

"Uh, Lana….Can you get him? You're a woman! You're better with little ones!"

"George! You're doing fine with him! Besides, he's fast asleep!...But if you're so unsure of yourself, I guess I'll take the little sweetheart…." Melania smiled, and took the 1 year old from his arms and sat down in the rocking chair with him. "Glad I'm finally getting some of the use of my hand back, or I probably wouldn't be able to do this very well! Thanks for working with me these past few weeks, George." Melania smiled at him.

"You're welcome, Lana." He smiled. "I was glad to help you…."

A few hours had past and Fred was sitting at the kitchen table at his in-law's place, with his father-in-law and his brother-in-law, John. He could hear his wife cry and scream every now and again….He put his head down as he couldn't do a thing about it! Fred was extremely worried for her and got up and started pacing the parlor floor.

"Boy, she'll be fine…." George Sr. told him.

"I'm just scared for her George. It's taking a long time….she should be done by now, shouldn't she? Don't you think….I mean, a lot of women these days don't…."

"She'll be fine, boy! I just told you that!….Frances will make it! You don't need to be alarmed….she's a strong young woman and her body can handle this!" George Sr. said in his gruff manner. "Now sit yourself down before you walk a hole in the floor!"

Frances lay there on the bed, breathing heavily for a while….she faced another contraction and tears came out of her eyes from the pain. They grew a little closer together. She lay her head back down on the pillow after it stopped, sweat soaking her neck and her wavy auburn hair. She laid there, her chest heaving and her heart pounding….and screamed as another sharp contraction came.

"It's all right….You're doing great, girl!" A young woman was at the side of the bed, and reached out to Frances. She reached up and held the woman's hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. Frances mustered up the strength to squeeze the other woman's hand.

"Thank you….I guess." Frances breathed out. "I can't believe how long this is taking! My water hasn't even broken yet!"

"It takes a while sometimes….Don't you worry, it will honey…" Her mother told her.

"There have been times where a baby is born without the water breaking at all…but that's very rare. Barely ever happens….I've never had it happen before." The midwife said.

Frances lay there through another contraction. She gritted her teeth through the pain, and barely let out a whimper.

"How's the pain?" The young woman asked.

"Unbearable Helen!...It's horrible! I know there's nothing to do about it….." She breathed out as a contraction had ended. She felt the bed get wet. Frances looked out the window and saw it was pouring down rain. Though through the pain she was in, she smiled a little. "Well,….April showers, bring May flowers, right?...Roof must be leaking…the bed's wet."

Franziska looked up at the ceiling and sure enough, there was a little hole in the roof, but where the roof was leaking was at the very end of the bed….She started to chuckle. "Honey, I don't think that's just the leaky roof!….Did your water break?"

"A little, I think….I'm not so sure…I wasn't really paying attention!" She laughed. "Oh, I feel it now! A little trickle…."

"All right…How are you with the pain, you doing okay?" Franziska asked, squeezing her daughter's hand.

"I'll live!...Oh, I will live!" Frances exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Take your mind off of it….Tell me what Freddy's been up to lately…." Helen said.

"He said "Papa" the other day….it's all he says now!" Frances smiled. Then she felt another strong contraction. She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes tight….and gripped the blanket and screamed.

"It's all right, girl….You're doing wonderful….I don't think it'll be much longer!"

"I think I just felt the baby line up into place….I never felt that before…." She breathed.

"See! Not much longer….How are your contractions?"

Frances breathed again and her eyes shut as she endured another contraction….She let out a breath as it had ended and rested a few seconds…."They're spreading out a little….I think."

"My, you're really close…..Almost done!" Helen smiled.

Frances smiled a little. Helen was being so encouraging!...Frances leaned her head back and screamed again as she felt a painful contraction…."Oh God!" And she felt herself start to bear down… "The harder part comes next…" She said breathlessly. Frances rested awhile until she felt herself starting to push.

"First one was great, Frances!"

Frances smiled a little and rested her head on the pillow for a while. She started to push again, squeezing her mother's hand and grinding her nails with her other hand into the blanket. She laid her head back on the pillow and rested again.

"You're doing wonderful, honey….You're doing absolutely wonderful!" Franziska exclaimed. "You're so strong! I'm so proud of you!"

"A few more pushes and we'll get to meet this little one….C'mon Frances, you're doing well…" Helen said. "Another push! C'mon!"

Frances pushed and couldn't help but cry out again. "Dear God, help me!" She screamed as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"One more strong one and the baby's head will be seen….There we go! C'mon, push! Push, push, push!.…You're doing great, Frances!" Helen said, as Frances pushed and screamed again and started shaking a little. "Sorry, I'm so vocal….I can't help it!"

"You're like your mother….When I was in labor with Joe; all you could hear was my screaming!" Franziska laughed…."Don't worry about it….just focus, Frances. Try and push again!"

Frances did exactly that, until Helen said the baby's head was crowning. Frances rested until she started to push again, and the baby's head and soon its shoulders were both out.

"One more strong push and you'll be done! Can you believe it?" Helen exclaimed.

"No!...It's taken so long!" Frances exclaimed, out of breath and lay there awhile and rested. She found just enough strength to push once more and her baby was delivered. She heard a strong loud cry.

"This one sure makes its presence known! And gender!" Helen laughed. "It's a girl!"

"Freddy was a little sneak….and this one's flashing us!" Franziska exclaimed and started to laugh. "My isn't she a loose woman!"

"Mother!" Frances laughed. She felt the placenta work its way out, which felt slightly uncomfortable. Franziska took the job of cutting it, and Helen Clark Spencer took the little baby and cleaned her off, swaddled her with a blanket and brought her back to her mother.

"Congratulations, Mama! What a beautiful baby girl…." Helen smiled and slipped the baby into her friend's arms. "She's precious!"

"I can't believe I have a daughter…." Frances smiled and tears came out of her eyes. All she could do was smile down at her new baby girl. "I have a little girl!"

"Would you do it again?" Her mother asked.

"If the Lord allows….believe me, this is worth it." She answered, wiping tears from her brown eyes.

"How about I go get your husband so he can see his new daughter?" Franziska smiled.

Frances smiled and nodded, still gazing at her baby girl. She later looked up and turned her head, as she saw the door open and her husband and her father and older brother all walked in.

"Fred…." Frances smiled as tears welled up in her eyes. "Honey, you were right this time!" She laughed. "It's a girl!...A girl!...We have a daughter…." Frances smiled at him as he kneeled down beside the bed. "Look at her…Oh, just look at her, Fred…." She beamed.

"She's beautiful…like her mother." He smiled, and kissed her.

"Here, I'm sure you want to hold her!" Frances said, carefully passing the tiny new baby off to her husband.

"Did you give her a name?...Rose Frances was the only one we thought of for a girl, wasn't it?" Fred smiled.

"Actually honey, as pretty as that sounds…which it is, don't think different….but I was wondering if her first name could be Helen instead…." Frances beamed up at her best friend. "Is that all right with you?"

"I would be honored….." Helen smiled.

Frances reached her hand and gripped her friend's hand. "I couldn't have done it without you! You were so encouraging and you kept me pretty calm! I'm amazed!" She laughed.

"Myself as well!" Franziska laughed. Everyone started laughing, and it soon died down.

"Helen Frances Lay….now that just sounds right!" Fred grinned, gazing down at his daughter.

Dr. Clark, Helen's father, showed up to weigh the baby. "Time and date of birth, please Helen…." He said to his daughter.

"10:32 A.M., April 30th 1888!" She rattled it off to her father.

"Assisted by Helen Clark Spencer…." He smiled at his daughter…."And I'd say the birth weight is…right at….9 lbs.…..and now for how long she is….Oh….20, 21 inches….Yes, 21 inches long. Congratulations!" He exclaimed as he was writing the information down on paper to make it official.

**A/N: Helen Frances Lay was my great grandmother. She was born April 30th, 1914. (Changed the year in the story!) I can finally say to my Mom and my Aunt, (who's also named Helen, after her) "She's here!" lol. They both kept asking me, "Did she have Helen yet?...Did Frances have Helen yet?" **

**Helen was in fact named after her mother's best friend, Helen Clark Spencer….IDK know how or why she came around to naming her daughter after her, except that they were in fact, best friends…. but anyway she did, so I used my imagination!**


	47. Chapter 47

"How's the hand, today?...Feeling a little bit more?" George Jr. asked. He was helping Melania with therapy for her hand. She had some feeling back, but they were working on getting the whole use, or close to it, of her hand back. "Can you feel that?"

"A little, George…."

"Try making a fist….That's it." He smiled. She was making some progress. Melania was getting the use of her hand back, bit by bit.

"Thanks George….I think that's enough for now." Melania said, rubbing her palm.

"Still painful?"

"Yes…"

"I'll get you your morphine dose then…" He said, going off to get a packet and fixed up the right amount for her, dissolving it into a glass of water. "Here you go…" George Jr. said, giving her the glass.

"Thanks George…." She said, started drinking it down.

"I still don't know how you can take that….."

"I don't know….I just do. I need to." She said, finishing the last of it. "It's as simple as that…."

"Helps with the pain, I'm sure…." George Jr. said quietly.

"Yep….that's what it's for…" She smiled.

Frances was outside by the little rock wall in the backyard one nice May afternoon. She was sitting on a blanket in the grass, with 2 week old Helen in her arms. Freddy was out walking around the yard, stopping to smell every little purplish-blue violet, as they were in bloom. He picked a few of them and ran over to his mother.

Little Freddy beamed up at her and held up the tiny flowers. "Fo yoo…." He said. Freddy was being a lot more talkative now.

"For me?" Frances smiled. "Thank you, sweetheart! I'll wear them in my hair, all right?...Oh, they're so pretty! Thank you, Freddy…." She praised her 17 month old son a little, and took them from him, and stuck them in her bun. One little flower fell to the ground and Freddy quickly picked it up again.

"Freddy hep yoo!" He said, and put the pretty little violet back into her hair.

"Well, thank you for helping Mama, sweetheart." She chuckled at him a little and smiled. Freddy beamed back at her.

"Can Mama have a kiss, please?" Frances asked. Freddy nodded and got closer to her and gave her a little kiss on her lips. He looked over and saw Fred walking up the sidewalk.

"Papa!" Freddy squeaked and ran up to him. "Papa!...Papa!"

"Hey Fritz!" Fred chuckled and scooped him up in his arms. "Hey, do you know what today is?" He whispered in his ear. Freddy shook his head no. "Today's Mother's Day…..how about we do something nice for Mama….."

"What are you whispering over there about?" Frances laughed.

"Oh nothing, honey." Fred grinned and walked over to his wife, who had stood up.

"That grin tells me otherwise…" She laughed and then kissed him on the lips. "I'm going to take the baby inside for a while. I don't want her getting too much sun….."

"Seems like a good idea…." Fred smiled. "I'll let you go do that." He saw his wife, with their baby in her arms; walk down the grassy slope and onto the little sidewalk, up the summer kitchen steps and walked back into the little house.

"How 'bout we pick Mama some flowers?"

"I pick!" Freddy said excitedly.

"Well, c'mon buddy!" Fred said and whisked him up the little hill to the woods where the white lilac bush was.

"No!" Freddy whined. "No no!...I pick fowers!" He wiggled around in his grasp.

"Yeah buddy, that's what we're doin'!" Fred smiled at his son. "We're picking lilacs for Mama…."

"I pick!...I pick fowers for Mama 'fore!" Little Freddy said, though some of it at first sounded like gibberish to Fred.

"Oh….you picked some for her yourself….Good boy! Let's pick her some more flowers…."

"No! I pick fowers!"

"Freddy, you don't say no to me…." Fred warned. They got up to where the white lilac bush was and Fred got out his little knife. He saw that a log had crushed the white lilac bush…..

"Freddy, look here…."

"Twee…." He said quietly and pointed at the lilac bush.

"No, it's not a tree, bud….It's a bush, but a tree fell on it….do you see that?" He whispered, placing a hand on his son's little shoulder and pointing at the fallen log.

"It got huwted…."

Fred had to laugh a little. "It's not hurt, Freddy…..Trees don't feel anything. They're not like people…." He started cutting off a few of the lilacs. "I think we can save a few, huh Freddy…."

"I pick….." Freddy said quietly.

"I'll let you hold them…." He said, giving a few white lilacs to the 17 month old.

"No…I pick 'fore!" Freddy said, throwing the lilacs down on the ground. He was getting frustrated!

"I realize that, bud…" Fred started to say, and turned his head and saw the white flowers on the ground. "Freddy….pick those up for Papa." Freddy just stood there.

"Pick those up, son….or you know what comes next."

Freddy stood there a second, but then bent down and picked up the lilacs.

"Good listening….." Fred said. "Now, c'mon, let's pick some of those dark purple ones and we can take them inside and give them to Mama…." He said, trudging down the little slope and down the little sidewalk to the other lilac bush, and helped little Freddy cut a few of them. "Now to make 'em even prettier." Fred said, and pulled out a little white ribbon out of his back pocket and tied the lilacs with it. He gave them to Freddy and they walked to the house and sneaked in. They were as quiet as two little church mice and saw that Frances was baking bread. Fred put his hands on her waist.

"Dear God in Heaven!" Frances yelled as she was startled. She spinned herself around and saw her husband. "Fred, you scared the living daylights out of me! I didn't hear a 'Yoooo hooo'! That always throws me off!" Frances was saying franticly and then Fred leaned in and kissed her lips. "Yoo hoo…" He said in a low voice and raised his eyebrows.

Frances smiled and seemed to melt in his embrace. "Fred John, I can't believe you sometimes…." She smiled.

"Our son has a gift for you…." Fred smiled. Little Freddy held up the bouquet of white and purple lilacs.

"Oh, more flowers for me?" Frances smiled, and took them from her little boy. "Thank you, Freddy…." She said as Freddy hugged her legs and held onto her brown skirt. Frances smoothed his little head of reddish-brown hair much like her own. He had cute little curls at the nape of his little neck. "From my lilac bushes….." Frances laughed, looking at her husband.

Fred chuckled. "That's what they're there for! To enjoy….and who better than the wonderful, beautiful woman who grew them?" He smiled. "Saved a few of the white ones….Tree fell on the bush….probably from all the bad thunderstorms we've had…."

"The bush is all right, isn't it?" She asked, going to the back door and looking up by the woods.

"It'll be fine….." Fred replied, coming up behind her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "By the looks of it, it'll spread out and keep on growing."

"Good….I love those lilacs….but I think I may like my purple ones a little more." Frances grinned. "Oh, but them together, they're just beautiful!...And they smell so wonderful!" She said, burying her nose in them and breathing in their scent. "Thank you so much! I'm going to go put them in some water." Frances went outside to get a bucket of water from the well and came back, grabbing a vase, she put the white and purple lilacs in it and set it on the kitchen table. "My two men….." Frances smiled, picking little Freddy up in her arms. "Thank you again…..I love you both." She said and gave Freddy a kiss on the cheek and gave her husband a tender kiss on the lips.

"There's more to your present…." Fred grinned.

"What?" She smiled widely. Frances set Freddy down and he ran off into the front room to play.

"Hold on!...Hold on…." He smiled and walked out of the kitchen and came back with the rest of her Mother's Day present.

"Happy Mother's Day…." He whispered and gazed into her eyes. "I love you." Fred whispered and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you too." Frances smiled and caressed his cheek and gave him a quick little peck on the tip of his nose and giggled. In her hand was a little box.

"Aren't you going to open your present….or are you going to keep being so silly?" He laughed.

"Sometimes it's good to be silly…" She laughed. And then she started to open the box.

Frances saw what her husband had given her and a smile crept across her face and she looked up at him. "My favorite bar soap!…..Yardley's English Lavender." She smiled at her husband as he put her arms around her. "Thank you, honey…..It's wonderful."

"You're not the only one who likes it….." Fred grinned and raised his eyebrows. "It's a set; I got the perfume too…."

"I like my soap just fine, thank you…." Frances smiled. "You wear it…." She laughed.

"Me? Wear perfume?" Fred chuckled.

"Use it as cologne…." She smiled and patted his cheek.

"I might just do that." He laughed, which made Frances laugh too.

"Who's the silly one now?" She chuckled.

"Got me on that one!" Fred laughed, pulling her into a closer embrace.

George Jr. awoke early one morning so he could use the outhouse, and on his way back and into bed, he heard Melania screaming! He rushed into the next room to see just what was wrong with her. She lay there on her bed screaming an almost ear shattering, blood curdling scream…

"Lana…what's wrong?"

"My legs! My legs, George…..They ache!" She screamed.

"Want to me to take you to Doc Clark's?" He said quickly.

"No George….st-stay here with me…." Her breathing had sped up. "I need you now!"

"Wha?" He began. "I don't understand….."

"George, I need you…please!" She screamed, tears coming from her bright blue eyes from the pain. "I was getting addicted to the morphine….so a few days ago…I….I stopped taking it…I'm going through withdrawal!...George, I need you…..I'm….I'm…I'm so…scared!" Melania wailed. She was laying there in her nightgown and George Jr. saw her muscles begin twitching and her legs begin violently kicking uncontrollably. "George! Hold me!...PLEASE!" She screamed. "Hold me, George!"

He went right over and sat down on the bed with her and her head suddenly found his hard, broad chest, and his arms wrapped around her tiny frame. He felt her body violently shake against his. Her breathing had quickened even more, and she started sweating. She soon felt hot all over and then cold and then hot once again.

"George, help me!" She screamed. "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" Melania screamed and her temperature had changed again, from hot, to cold…back and forth, it kept changing.

"I've got ya, Lana….I've got ya…Don't worry." He said, holding her and he found himself running his hand over her brown hair.

"I'm having hot and cold flashes!"

"I know….You're fine! I've got you!..You're okay…"

"George, hold me tighter, I can't feel you!" She sobbed.

"I've got you….I'm holding you, don't worry!" He was crying himself.

"My heart's pounding, George!...Its pounding so hard, I feel like its beating out of my chest!" She screamed.

"It's okay…I've got you, Lana…I've got you!" He yelled.

Mary Jane heard all the screaming and got out of bed and ran to her mother's room. She stood in the doorway, seeing her mother, shaking violently in her father's arms.

"What's wrong?...Ma…What's wrong?" The 12 year old screamed and began crying.

"Mary Jane…..Get out of here!"

"Pa!...No, I can't!" She screamed.

"I said get out! Now!"

Mary Jane stood there dead in her tracks. Like her feet were locked in cement bricks.

"I said get out, Mary Jane!" George Jr. screamed at his 12 year old daughter. The young girl, though sobbing her eyes out, ran out of the room and out the front door.

"George….my stomach hurts! It hurts so much! It's horrible!" Melania sobbed onto his chest, an arm around her stomach. She later lifted herself off of him…."I feel so sick, George! " She started coughing and then hunched over herself and began vomiting. She endured the horrible vomiting spells and went back to shaking and broke out in a sweat again. "George, I can't make it!" Melania screamed.

"Yes you will, Lana!...You'll be all right!" He yelled, wrapping his strong arms around her body again.

"No I won't! This is killing me! I'm gonna die, George!" She screamed. "I'm gonna die!" She screamed again, tightly clutching onto him.

"You'll live!...You'll live, I won't let you die!...I won't let you die!" He sobbed. "YOU WILL LIVE!" George Jr. yelled.

Mary Jane Gruber ran down the gravel road till she got where Peru went on further, and where Walker Street began…..She didn't know how she could do it, but she went running up that long, steep hill all the way to the top where Dr. Clark's office was. She saw him pulling out in his buggy….and so she ran over.

"Doc Clark!...Doc Clark, come quick!" She sobbed.

"Mary Jane! Calm down, child!...What's the matter?"

"It's Ma…." She sobbed. That was all she could get out as she kept sobbing and sobbing.

"Get in then….." Dr. Clark commanded and they rode off down the hill. "You need to calm down, young lady….It'll be all right!" He tried consoling the young girl. They made it to Melania's little house very quickly. Mary Jane and the doctor burst through the front door and into Melania's bedroom.

"What's the problem?"

"She's going through withdrawal from the morphine you gave her Doc. She was addicted to it…" George Jr. replied, still holding a violently shaking, Melania….

"Stay just as you are until this all stops….then she needs to lay down and rest ."

Doc Clark had left and Mary Jane stood in the middle of her mother's room.

"Mary Jane….I told you before…..Get out of here. Right now." George Jr. told his daughter. Melania was clutching onto him, her body shaking, her heart pounding….it was hard for her to breathe again.

"I can't…..I can't Pa…..I can't leave Ma!" The 12 year old started crying again.

"I don't want you seeing your Ma like this…..Now go!" He commanded. "Head over to your grandparents' place…."

"Do as your father tells you Mary Jane!" Melania said. She kept breathing hard and clutching tightly onto George Jr. Mary Jane seemed to listen and went outside and down the gravel road. She made it down the road till she saw the little wooden bridge she ran across it and she saw Frances out in the yard hanging up clothes on the little clothesline.

"Aunt Frances!" She hollered and ran into the little yard.

"Mary Jane!...What in Heaven's name is wrong? Calm down…..calm down, catch your breath…..Here, sit down a while…." She said, guiding her niece to the locust tree and Mary Jane sat down in front of it. "I'm going to go get you some water….you just sit here all right?"

Mary Jane sat there trying to catch her breath and nodded at her aunt. She watched her go into the little house and returned with a tin cup, got her some cold water from the well and returned to her. "Here drink this….it'll help with the heat too. It's quite a warm day today! What made you run all this way?" Quite a warm day it was indeed! A warm day in July, to be exact…..it wasn't so hot.

"It's Ma….I had to get Doc Clark…"

"Is she okay? Does she need help?"

"No…." She panted. "Pa told Doc Clark she…she was going through….withdrawal…..from the morphine…..He told Pa to stay with her and Pa told me to go away!" She started crying. "I couldn't leave Ma!"

"Shhh….shhh…shh…It's okay." Frances put her arms around her niece, and started rocking back and forth, trying to comfort her. "It's all right, Mary Jane….It's all right."

She sat there and cried on her aunt's shoulder, till she thought she couldn't cry anymore and felt her eyes go dry.

"It's all right, Mary Jane…..C'mon let's get you inside and out of the sun." Frances said, and guided her niece into the house. "You just sit down in my rocking chair and I'll make you something to eat for lunch…What would you like?" She smiled.

Mary Jane shrugged her shoulders.

"How about a sandwich?...Venison, cheese, and my homemade bread…"

"That sounds good, Aunt Frances."

"I'll make it then….Warmed up or cold?"

"Warm please…." Mary Jane smiled.

"I'll be back." Frances smiled and went into the kitchen. Freddy came in from the front room and saw his cousin sitting in the rocking chair. He grinned and moved his fingers in a wave.

"Hi Freddy…."

Little Freddy plumped down in front of her and began playing with his little building blocks. After a while, he stood up and went over to Mary Jane and began pulling on her arm…."Pway!"

"Ok Freddy…." She smiled a little and began to get up.

"Freddy, you ask Mary Jane nicely…..What do you say to her?"

Freddy stood there looking up at his mother.

"You say please…..and first you should say sorry that you were so rude when you asked."

"Sowwy…." He said quietly.

"You want to play with her now don't you?" Frances asked her son. Freddy nodded.

"What do you say then?"

"Pease?" He said to Mary Jane.

Frances had to crack a little smile. At how good he was listening. He was usually a good little boy, but every now and then, he had times where he wasn't very good….like anyone his age. She also had to smile at his little mispronouncing of words. It was just so cute!

"Mary Jane, your sandwich is ready…."

"Thank you, Aunt Frances."

"You're welcome." She smiled. "And I made a little one for you too, 'Mr. Man'" Frances smiled, picking Freddy up. "So let's go in the kitchen and eat lunch….C'mon…" And ushered her niece and her son into the kitchen.

**A/N: Yardley's English Lavender was Frances' favorite. She liked the bar soap instead of the perfume. Interesting that we can smell that lavender scent all through the house still sometimes...just from bar soap! lol. I had thought she liked the perfume, but it was the soap that she liked...Interesting! Frances was a very practical lady. That's what my mom tells me anyway. :)**

**A tree actually did fall on the white lilac bush, crushing it...but somehow, it spread and kept growing! Though, it isn't there anymore. :(**

**Yardley's English Lavender perfume and bar soap was launched in 1873, was used**** for both genders and as far I know is still in production. I would love to get some!**

**A/N: I used the LH episode "Home Again" where Albert develops a morphine addiction and his withdrawal from it, as inspiration for Melania's addiction and withdrawal.**


	48. Chapter 48

George Jr. sat there on the bed holding Melania in his arms. To him it seemed like hours until she finally stopped shaking and this whole thing was over with.

"You're fine….You're all right, Lana….." He breathed, running a hand over her dark brown hair. She looked up at him and it brought him back to years before. It reminded him of how much he always loved her. He leaned in and kissed her lips and to his surprise….she kissed him back.

They broke their kiss and Melania stared up at him, her slender hands on his broad chest, and she felt his strong arms yet around her. "I love you…." She whispered. Melania felt tears forming in her blue eyes. "All of the times where you said that you love me….all I always said was….thank you." She felt the tears start to fall. "Because….I never knew of what to say! I knew I loved you once…but I didn't know if I loved you then. I know I love you now…there's no doubt in my mind….I love you, George." She kissed him this time.

"And I love you…." He whispered.

"I know you do…..Any man who would stay here….for four months…..taking care of me….when it was only supposed to be a couple of weeks….." Melania looked at him and smiled. "If that isn't love….."

George Jr. smiled a little.

"Helping me through all of this….I believe it really shows how much you love me."

"I love you and….I always will, Lana." He whispered, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll go get Mary Jane….and come back and I'll make supper for us…You just lie down and rest."

"All right…" Melania whispered, laying down and placing her head on the pillow.

George Jr. lingered there a few seconds, holding her small hand in his. Melania saw his tall, husky build get up slowly and walk out of the room and heard him walk out the front door.

George Jr. walked till he came to the H & W building, turned the corner and walked till he reached the little wooden bridge, crossed it, and walked the gravel road till he passed the house where his sister, brother-in-law, nephew and new little niece lived, and walked up the gravel road till he came to his parents' little brick house. He opened the door and let himself in….and came face-to-face with his mother.

"I thought you didn't live here anymore…" Franziska stated.

"I never said that, Ma….."

"You're practically living with that woman! Yes, you have a history with this woman….you two have a child together, but that still doesn't make it right, George Jr.!...Go ahead and live with her unmarried if you want to…but your father and I won't be very happy…."

"Ma….I'm not…" He sighed, a little frustrated. "Ma…I don't have time to talk about this right now! I came to get my daughter…."

"Well, she isn't here…."

"But I told Mary Jane to come here and stay with you for a few hours…."

"The girl hasn't stopped by…."

"I need to find her….." He muttered, rushing out the door.

George Jr. wasn't sure of where to look, so he began scanning the neighborhood….why he didn't think of it before, but the closest place from his parents' place was his sister's place…so he finally thought to check there.

….

"Do you need help with anything, Aunt Frances?" Mary Jane asked.

"Well, I was just going to start on supper…..but if you could help me by looking after Freddy and the baby…I'd appreciate that…..Can you handle her all right?"

"Ummm….I think so."

"I think so too…" Frances smiled. "She'll be sleeping is all…but if she wakes up and starts crying, just come get me…."

"I will…."

Frances walked into the kitchen and went about her business, getting her ingredients together for the meal. When supper was cooking on the woodstove in the summer kitchen, she looked up and saw her oldest brother walking up the sidewalk….so she went outside to meet him.

"Hello brother!" She smiled, hugging him. "How's the day been treating you?"

"Fine, Frances….I'm looking for Mary Jane. Is she here?"

"Yes, she is….Didn't you know she was with me?"

"No…I told her to go to Ma and Pa's."

"I'm sorry….I didn't know you told her that!….She just came into the yard, bawling. I didn't know what to do except calm her down and bring her inside for a little while…If she only would've told me….."

"Frances! It's all right!" George Jr. smiled at his little sister. "I trust you with my daughter!" He chuckled.

"George….I wasn't talking about that." Frances laughed, but then was serious. "She disobeyed you, is what I meant…."

"I think I'll let it slide this time….she's been through a lot…."

"That she has." She stated…."Pardon me!" Frances chuckled. "Here we are….on a hot day, and I don't even invite my own brother in! C'mon, let's go inside…."

"All right…" George Jr. laughed. He walked up the way to the summer kitchen, with an arm around his sister. They walked through the summer kitchen and he caught a whiff of the food cooking on the stove. "Somethin' smells good…" He smiled.

"Fred got some rabbits up on the hill a few days ago. I've been boiling them, and I'm going to chop it up and serve it with mashed potatoes and buttered green beans….Sound good?"

"Delicious…" George Jr. grinned. He always loved his little sister's cooking. Frances was a wonderful cook!

"I am making extra. Figured Mary Jane would be eating with us….You can too if you'd like."

"Well, I was going to make supper for Mary Jane,….Lana and I."

"What's this?" Frances giggled. "My brother can cook now?" She said, setting the kitchen table.

"I make a mean fried chicken!"

"Fried chicken? On a hot July day? You honestly want to wrestle a live chicken, kill it, de-feather the thing and all that frying on a day like today? No, no, no..….George….I've got a recipe for you…You want chicken? Here's a recipe for chicken and dumplings!" Frances said, retrieving the recipe from her little recipe book. "Now, please let Mary Jane eat with us…and you go make supper for you and your lady." Frances smiled and winked at her brother. "I'm thinking things are finally working out for you two…I wouldn't mind having Melania as a sister-in-law….."

"At least you ain't like Ma…." He muttered.

"Like Ma?"

"She accused me of…of living with Lana…."

"I guess I can see how she would think that…it has been two months with you there….Look, don't let her get you down."

"Four." George Jr. said.

"What?"

"Four months…..It's been four months that I've stayed with them."

Frances made a face…."Guess it's been longer than I thought it was…Sorry."

He changed the subject. "I wish Ma would let me make my own decisions! I'm an adult!...Yeah, I still live with Ma and Pa…but I don't have a choice! Pa needs help with the farm!" Big George spent part of the year working for the Chicago Great Western Railroad….and so he didn't always have the time to devote to all the farm work, so his three adult sons, till they were married off, helped him with plowing and harvesting. It was just John and George Jr. at home now.

"I feel that way too….Even though I'm married and have two little children now…..Well, you know how Ma is…."

George Jr. nodded and smirked a little.

"Now what are you waiting for? Go get started on that date!" Frances smiled. "Fred can bring Mary Jane home later….."

"Thanks sis…." George Jr. grinned. He turned to leave.

"Wait George!...To help you out a little, I've got a chicken I fixed up a few days back." She walked out the door to the ice house and came back with it. "You do the rest, my brother." She giggled.

"Thanks…" George Jr. laughed and headed out the door, carrying the frozen chicken. Frances chuckled and walked into the other room to call her niece and son for supper. Fred walked in through the front door and through the parlor. Frances met him in her sewing room.

"Hey sweetheart…" He smiled and gave her a kiss. "Supper smells good."

"Oh yes…Boiled up the rabbits you caught."

"Can't wait…." Fred said, his mouth already watering. He saw his niece putting little Freddy in his high chair. "Mary Jane's staying, eh?" He smiled.

"Yes….she came over this afternoon. It's been quite a day for her, Fred. I thought it would be good to…." Frances began.

"It's okay, I don't mind at all!...Mary Jane's a good kid." Fred smiled. "I'm gonna go wash up a bit and change my clothes." He went upstairs and did so, came downstairs and joined them at the table for supper.

….

George had gotten back to Melania's place, and cooked supper for the two of them using the recipe his sister gave him.

"Hey sweet thing…" He whispered, sitting down on the bed. "Hungry?" Giving her a bowl and a spoon.

"Oh,….I could eat." She grinned at him.

"Mind if I join you?" He smiled, placing a bowl in his lap.

"I'd be delighted…." Melania giggled.

"Who knew you could make chicken and dumplings!" She remarked, lifting a spoonful to her mouth and tasted it. "It's actually pretty good….I'm surprised, George!"

"Um, it's my sister's recipe…." George Jr. chuckled.

"Hm….no wonder the chicken has a lot of flavor!" Melania laughed. "It's still good…You did a good job with it."

"Thank you…" He smiled, taking another bite of his supper.

"The dumplings are wonderful too…How did you get them this small?" She chuckled. "Look at these hands!" Melania smiled, holding up one of his large, manly hands. "There's no way!" She laughed, teasing him a little.

"Well, to be truthful….VERY carefully!" George Jr. laughed. "I was thinking I ruined them."

"You didn't. They're absolutely fine…It's all wonderful, George….You should cook for me more often."

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind that…." He chuckled.

"You're right! I wouldn't…." Melania laughed.

They sat there on her bed enjoying their supper until it dawned on Melania that she didn't know where her daughter was!

"George…where is Mary Jane?" She looked at him.

"It's all right!...She's at my sister's place…Stayed there most of the day, I've been told."

"Oh thank God…" She said, placing a hand on her chest. "Scared myself almost to bits! I'm sitting here and I don't even know where my…..our daughter is." Melania smiled, gazing at George Jr. Then she smirked at him. "Say it…I'm a horrible mother…."

"You are not….besides, you were going through withdrawal, Lana….how could possibly you keep track of her? Heck, I didn't even know where she was!" George Jr. put his arm around her. "I think you're a wonderful mother….You raised her by yourself for 12 years….By yourself…" He repeated. "Now that takes strength….you've done a great job there, lady."

Melania tried to smile a little.

"Just wish I could've helped you with her…" George Jr. said quietly.

Melania was silent and looked down at her hands. "You know it wasn't your fault you couldn't…." She whispered, but the door opened and they heard that Mary Jane was home.

"I'll….I'll go and thank Fred for bringing her home…." He said quietly, getting up and walking out of the room.

A few weeks later…..

"So how's the old hand, Lana?" George Jr. grinned, checking on the feeling of her hand. She had most of it back to normal.

"Old hand?" Melania laughed.

"Okay, how's the young hand?" He smiled.

"Fine, George…." She smiled. "You know that!"

"So you can feel this?" He brushed a tip of his finger against her palm.

"Yes, that tickles!...Now stop that!"

"How about this?" He brushed the other hand with his.

"George…you know it was my left hand I injured! Stop being silly!" Melania laughed.

"Can you feel this?" George Jr. asked, placing something in her hand, and closed the other hand on top of it.

Melania opened her hands and sat there, with a shocked look on her face. There in her slender hands, was a diamond engagement ring.

"I'm doing now….what I should've done and wanted to do twelve years ago….before you left." He whispered. "Marry me, Lana?"

Mary Jane was in the hallway, though unseen by her parents…with her fingers crossed. "_Please be a yes!" _She thought.

**A/N: In real life, Big George Gruber worked of the Chicago Great Western Railway at the time of the Spanish-American War from 1898 to 1899. He had tried to enlist, but he was turned down because of his flat feet. **

**Frances was a one heck of a good cook, according to my Grandpa! Lol….But of course she would be, like any woman of her day! **


	49. Chapter 49

"I don't even know why I asked. You love me, I love you…Of course you'll say yes!" George Jr. smiled. "I guess…you know, one chance to do this, better do it right."

"George…..I haven't said yes…." She said quietly.

"But you will….won't you?" He asked.

"George…." She sighed, standing up and going to the window. "George…I…I just don't know right now…."

"But you love me….I love you….How could you not know for sure about this?" He asked her, puzzled.

Melania turned her head and looked at him. "Think about it….Why would you want me as your wife?"

"Because we love each other!" George walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Sweet thing,…we've been through this before! I love you, you love me….it's that simple! Why not get married?"

"You really want a whore for a wife?" She spat at him.

"Lana…."

"When I told you that I was…I wasn't joking with you!" Melania raised her voice.

"So what? You've been with two other men! I can't help that!"

"I've been with way more than two, George…"

"I knew I wasn't your first lover….that couldn't be hidden." George Jr. chuckled a little. "I didn't care either! I loved you then and I love you now."

Melania stared into his dark chocolate-colored brown eyes. "I can't believe this! I tell you that I'm a whore…that I've been with so many other men! And it goes straight over your head! WHY don't you get it? You don't want a woman like me!" She started yelling at him…."No man wants a woman like that!...A dirty whore!"

"You're not!" Mary Jane stood in the doorway, tears starting to stream down her face. "You're not one of those!...You're not, Ma! I don't care what anyone says!" Mary Jane ran into the room and clung to her mother, tears falling from her brown eyes. "You're not a whore! I don't care what people say!" She yelled at her mother, turned around and ran away.

Melania watched her daughter leave the room and looked back at George Jr. and he stared back at her.

"I'll get her….we can talk about this….later." He breathed, and walked out the door.

Mary Jane Gruber ran out the front door, through her yard and a field or two. The twelve year old just kept running and running. She just didn't care…she just kept running, till she made it into the woods near Peru Road….she finally collapsed next to a tree and started sobbing and sobbing. George Jr. soon caught up with her and crouched down beside her.

"Pa!" She sobbed. "Oh Pa!" Mary Jane wrapped her arms around her father and cried on his chest. It seemed that she cried for hours and hours, when it only was a matter of minutes. "She's not….She's not one of those!" Mary Jane sobbed. "She's not a whore!"

"She's not one now….." Her father whispered. "But didn't you hear her tell me…that she was once?"

"Oh yes…Oh, Pa why didn't she tell me?" She buried her face in his chest and cried.

"You're young, Mary Jane…At your age, you shouldn't really know about all that stuff…."

"But I do, Pa! I know about sex…"

"You do not…." He said softly. "You couldn't possibly….Your mother as far as I know hasn't told you….and I sure haven't!"

"I do, Pa!...I read about it!" She confessed. "Some older girls at school were talking about it….and….I looked up the words…that I didn't know the meaning of."

"Mary Jane…."

"I know about my cycle too…It's when…" She began.

"Mary Jane! Let's get back to what we were talking about...Boy, if your mother finds out you know…." George Jr. put a hand to his forehead and then ran it through his dark hair. He tried getting back to their previous conversation. "There's things she didn't tell you…things she didn't tell me….because, she didn't want to see you hurt…she loves you, little one."

"But she loves you too!" Mary Jane said, a tear drop glistened on her cheek. "Why can't you get married?...I thought things were going so well! Things were falling into place….Like it was meant to be, Pa…."

"Mary Jane…." George Jr. whispered, brushing a thumb on her cheek to wipe away a tear. "I would love to marry your Ma…I love her." He said, wrapping his daughter in a hug.

"And she loves you….so why don't you?"

"That's up to your Ma….she needs to make her decision."

"Well, why doesn't she?...Its so easy!"

"Little one, let her make her own decision…." George Jr. whispered. "C'mon….Let's go."

"Pa…could we do something together? Just you and me?" Mary Jane grinned up at her father. "It could give Ma time to think."

"I think that's a great idea, Squirt!" He smiled. "What should we do?"

"Let's go fishing!" She said excitedly.

"All right!" George Jr. found two long sticks, and some twine from back at his parents' barn…made the two fishing poles and they went fishing in the little creek along Peru Road.

"Look! Look Pa! I got one!...I got one! I caught a fish!" She exclaimed excitedly, almost jumping up and down like a girl half her age.

"Great job, Mary Jane!" George Jr. smiled, pulling the twelve year old into a hug with one arm. "Catch a few more….and we can have supper for tonight!"

Mary Jane threw her line back into the water and looked over at her father, who had his line in for quite a time now. "I don't see you catching any…" She teased.

"I'm not as good of a fisherman as you are, girl."

"Thank you, Pa….but this is my first time fishing!" She giggled.

"Well, you're doing a great job!"

They fished for some time and then decided to go on home. Melania met them at the door….George Jr. saw she was dressed in a white blouse and a dark burgundy skirt. The blouse had pin-tuck pleats down the front of it, and the rounded neckline embellished with ruffles showed a hint of her little collarbone and a bit more skin. He gazed at her, maybe too long….he couldn't help the thoughts popping into his head and inwardly shook himself.

"Mary Jane and I went fishing for a while…" George Jr. said quietly.

"Good time?" She asked.

"Yeah, we had fun….Mary Jane sure enjoyed it…Caught a few too."

"That's good…." She said, arms crossed against her waist. "Thought a little about what you said…."

"Yes?"

"I know you love me….and I love you…."

"So, are you saying yes?"

"I know if we get married….your parents will be happy. Every time I see your mother, it's like she gives me daggers…."

"Ignore her….."

"And I don't want to marry you just to make them happy! I want to marry you, because you love me…and I love you."

"Lana…you know I do." He said, taking her small hand, holding it to his chest. "So….do I have an answer yet?" He smiled.

"Yes…" She smiled. "But I'd rather not have a church wedding….I don't deserve one. I would like just a quiet ceremony…."

"If it makes you happy, sweet thing." He smiled, and kissed her hand.

Mary Jane came into the room, grinning from ear to ear. Melania reached an arm out and Mary Jane walked over. Her mother wrapped an arm around her and she closed her eyes for a moment and hugged her mother and looked up at both of her parents.

"Happy I said yes?" Melania smiled at her daughter.

"Yes…." She smiled. "Are you?"

Melania looked at George Jr. and smiled. "Yes…"

"Can you do it now?"

"Mary Jane!" She laughed.

"Can you get married today? Well?" Mary Jane grinned.

"I'm sure I can get Rev. Weirich….if he's in town…." George Jr. said.

"Go get him, George…" Melania smiled.

George Jr. walked to the Reverend's place and soon returned to Melania and Mary Jane's little house.

"Thank you for coming, Rev. Weirich….." Melania smiled and shook his hand.

"Oh you're welcome Miss Loney…..shall we go over your plans for today?"

"Well,…." She smiled at George Jr. and then looked at the Reverend. "George and I just want a quiet simple ceremony….The vows….silence while the rings are exchanged…."

"And the kiss! You can't forget the kiss!" Mary Jane exclaimed.

"Mary Jane!" Melania looked at her daughter….but then she couldn't help but smile.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Can you marry them Rev. Weirich?" The twelve year old smiled, her brown eyes shining.

"If your parents are ready, child." He laughed.

"Let me just change my clothes…" George Jr. said.

"George….you look just fine." Melania smiled, grasping his hands with hers.

"Well then, let's begin…." The Reverend smiled. "I have a feeling this will be one of the shortest weddings that I've done in my ministry." He chuckled. "Join hands, please."

They did so and the Reverend started off with the vows. "Do you George Michael Gruber Jr., take this woman, to live together in marriage; will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in health and in sickness, in prosperity and in adversity; and forsaking all others, be faithful to her, so long as you shall live?"

Without hesitation, George Jr. said, "I do."

"Do you Melania Mary Agnes Loney, take this man, to live together in marriage; will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in health and in sickness, in prosperity and in adversity; and forsaking all others, be faithful to him, so long as you shall live?" Melania knew such a vow was important and should be kept. No questions asked. She intended to keep this vow….because her past life she lived was over. She had stopped a long time ago….As she kept thinking, it dawned on her that the Rev. Weirich was staring at her, waiting for her answer. She glanced at the Reverend and her blue eyes wandered over to George Jr., which made her smile. Then her lips moved as she said those two binding words.

George Jr. and Melania exchanged their rings….and then the Reverend spoke again. "George Gruber Jr. and Melania Loney, you have consented together in holy matrimony before God, have pledged your vows to each other, and have exchanged rings as tokens of your love and commitment to each other. In accordance with the laws of the state of Iowa, with the authority of God's Word, I now pronounce you….husband and wife."

George Jr. gently held Melania by the arms and they shared a sweet, little kiss.

"Congratulations….." The Rev. Weirich smiled.

"There's one thing I'd like to do as soon as we can…." George Jr. whispered.

"What's that?" She smiled up at him.

"I want to find your two boys…."

"What?" Melania asked, tears coming to her blue eyes.

"You heard me!" He smiled. "I want to find those boys….so I can adopt them."

"Oh George!" She exclaimed, clinging to him, tears of joy spilling down her cheeks "Do you think that's even possible? It's been so long!...They've probably been adopted into some family years ago!"

"We won't know…unless we try."

**A/N: In real life, George Gruber Jr. and Melania Loney were actually married…Melania wasn't a whore….she didn't have illegitimate children. She was married to George Jr. and together they had three children, Paul, Mary Jane and James. I just made up this whole thing to add drama to the story….but what's interesting, is I found out much later that on the other side of my family, my Dad's mother was an illegitimate child. Her mother's first name, was Mary Magdalene….and she was called Lena. Interesting that in my story, was that I chose Lana for Melania's nickname!**


	50. Chapter 50

"George,…honey, here's one in Waverly, IA. The Bremwood Lutheran Orphanage…." It was about four months after their wedding day….and George Jr. and Melania were sitting in bed one night, looking at a list of orphanages in Iowa.

"Paul could be there…..James, he's probably back in California, right?" George Jr. said, eating a handful of popcorn from their bowl.

"He could be, I'm not sure…I wanted to make it so James could be in Iowa, so he could be with his brother…..but the people never got back to me, I'm not sure where he is….but…I think Paul's somewhere in Iowa."

"How old do you think they'd be?"

"Paul….he's two years older than Mary Jane…so he's about 14 or so…and James is two years younger than Mary Jane. He was born in November, so….he's coming up on his 10th birthday this month."

"Mm." George Jr. grunted, chewing on a mouthful of popcorn. He pointed at the piece of paper. "There's one….in Mitchellville…."

"Honey….that's a girl's home." She chuckled.

"Oh, didn't see that…Sorry." He chuckled, grabbing another handful of popcorn.

"You're too busy eating that popcorn!"

"I can't resist…It's good!" He smiled. "Want some?" George Jr. grinned at her.

"A little." She smiled, and took some. One by one she'd pop a kernel into her mouth. "Here's one in Eldora….a city in Hardin County, Iowa."

"Reverend gave you the papers to all these orphanages, right?"

"Yes….and I've skimmed over a few. Didn't find a Paul or a James Loney." She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You're sure that's the names they're under?" He chuckled.

"Yes George….I know what I named my sons…." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm just joking with you…" George Jr. whispered, kissing her head.

"I know…" Melania smiled a little, and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm afraid that we'll never find them…" She sighed, and buried her face in his chest. "I've looked through nearly every county in Iowa! Jackson County, Jasper County, Johnson County, Linn County….Black Hawk….Muscatine…Clinton County….Tama County…..Winneshiek County…..Polk County…..Keokuk…..Wright County…And I can't find either name!...It's like they've fallen off the face of the earth!"

"We'll find them, sweet thing….We just have to keep looking…" He whispered. They lay there, her head on his chest, one of his arms wrapped around her. "We can continue our search tomorrow…..Let's get some sleep."

"All right, George…" Melania whispered, shutting her eyes a moment, as she lay there, snuggled against his chest.

They continued their search for the boys the next day as they planned, with Mary Jane even helping.

"Ma! Ma, I found a Paul Loney listed in one of the orphanages in Winneshiek County!" She exclaimed.

"You did!" Melania asked, coming over to the table.

"Oops…that's someone named Paul Laney…not Loney." Mary Jane said as she looked closer.

"That's okay, Mary Jane…Just keep looking." She smiled, and went back to looking at her papers of different orphanages.

They looked for some time, but then Mary Jane became frustrated.

"Ugh, we're never gonna find them! It's hopeless!" She sighed, slumping her arms on the table and placed her face in them.

"Don't say that, Squirt….Speak life, not death. Things work out a whole lot better." George Jr. said, walking through the door.

"Hi Pa…." Mary Jane mumbled, her face still hidden in her arms.

George Jr. chuckled a little and rubbed his daughter's back. "Any luck?"

"No…" She mumbled again.

"Just keep searching…..We'll find them."

"George…" Melania sighed. "We've looked over every orphanage in the state of Iowa….they're not there!"

"Well, if they're not anywhere in Iowa…." George said, coming over to his new wife. He wrapped his thick hands around her petite waist. "Then what about the surrounding states? Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, South Dakota….Nebraska."

"It's worth a try." She smiled. "But right now, you need to have supper…." Melania brought a plate of food to the table and George Jr. sat down.

"Have y'all eaten yet?" He asked.

"Yes…about an hour ago. Pot roast, mashed potatoes and my homemade bread….but I made you a couple baked potatoes. I know you like them. I hope I did them right."

"Uh…Lana…" He said, with a disgusted look on his face. "Ugh…."

"What George?" Melania asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah….my baked potatoes. They're half cooked and….they have worms in them."

"Oh my God…" She covered her mouth, feeling like she was about to vomit at the thought of that! "Here, let me get them away from you….I'm so sorry! I didn't see they were so bad!...Just shows how I ruin everything!"

"Lana, you didn't ruin them! How were you to know?"

"I'm the cook! I should know the produce!" She raised her voice a little.

"Sweet thing, this seems like a funny thing to fight about…." He chuckled.

"We're not fighting!" She snapped.

"Whatever you say…"

"We're not fighting, George." She said, calmer this time. "Just….grrr!" Melania screamed. "You think I'd know about some stupid wormy potato!"

"Lana…its fine! It's not like you meant to poison me or something!"

"Now why would I do a thing like that, George Michael?" Melania exclaimed. "God, I sound like your mother! Lord, help me!"

George Jr. sat there and laughed. He couldn't help it. "How's the relationship coming along?"

"Well, she's happy that we're married now…but I still don't think she likes me. Ever since she accused you of living with me,…it was like she grew to hate me!"

"Turned on you like a snake…..Yep, sounds like Ma, all right."

"Makes me feel like it's my fault…" She sighed, putting her face in her hands.

"Its not…" He said, coming over and putting an arm around her. "You just take care of yourself….she'll come around."

"You're right, George." Melania smiled, and George leaned down and she accepted his lips with hers in a sweet kiss. Mary Jane was at the table, hand resting on her chin, smiling giddily.

"Shut your eyes, Mary Jane…." She said, giving her daughter a look.

"Oh, let her look…." He chuckled, and gave her a kiss again, more passionate this time.

"George…That's enough…." Melania smiled, but then gave him one last quick peck on the lips. "You're giving our daughter ideas…."

"I think its romantic….." Mary Jane smiled.

"See what I mean?"

"She needs to know someday….Who better to teach her the right way than her parents?"

"We didn't do things right, George…."

He bent down and kissed her forehead. "We're starting over…" George Jr. whispered in her ear.

Weeks had passed and they kept searching for the boys in all the orphanages in the neighboring states.

"There's an orphanage in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota…." Melania said. "Sleepy Eye….Now why does that sound familiar?"

"I don't know…" George Jr. said. "I can't think of a reason why it would…."

"Uncle Fred!" Mary Jane exclaimed out of the blue.

"What Mary Jane?" Her mother asked.

"Uncle Fred! He lived in Minnesota for a few years!...Didn't he?"

"Mary Jane, that was in Walnut Grove…..not in Sleepy Eye." George Jr. said.

"Well, wouldn't he know about it?" She asked.

"Let's not ask him just yet….let's wait awhile, okay?"

"Yes Pa."

Melania was sitting at the table looking over a copy of the records at the Sleepy Eye Orphanage….and tears began to fill her eyes.

"What's wrong, Ma…"

"Nothing….." She dabbed at her blue eyes. "Nothing's wrong….I think I've found them."

"What?" George Jr. smiled craning his neck to see.

"Look…." She smiled, giving him the paper. "Paul Loney….he's about the same age! And look in the younger group…James "Jimmie" Loney…they have him listed as ten years old."

"Think it could be him?"

"I don't know….How many James Loney's could there be?" Melania felt tears well up in her eyes…she couldn't help but be emotional at a time like this.

"There's another question…."

"What Pa?"

"How many orphanages are there in Sleepy Eye?"

"Can we ask Uncle Fred?" Mary Jane asked. "He might know!" She said, grinning at both of her parents. Even if she tried, it probably wasn't possible to wipe that giddy smile off her cute face!

"Mary Jane, they're probably sitting down to supper now…"

"No Ma! Uncle Fred and Aunt Frances have supper just about the time we do!"

"You're sure about that?"

"Yes Ma!"

"I don't think they'd like us just barging in…."

"We're not! We want to ask a question!" She said. "We want information!"

Melania looked over and smiled at her husband. "Let's go, George….before she bursts a blood vessel." She laughed.

They took the Sleepy Eye Orphanage records over to Fred and Frances' little house.

"Hi hi!" Freddy exclaimed.

"Hi Freddy." Mary Jane smiled and picked the almost two year old up and held him. He kept shouting "Hi" to Melania and George Jr. until they would say hello back.

"Freddy….inside voice." Frances said, and put a finger to her lips. He quieted down almost immediately.

"You have him trained pretty well! Amazing…" George Jr. remarked.

"I can do to an extent….but one of these days…Fred's gonna have to take over the discipline!...What's keeping him? Excuse me….I'll see what he's up to." She went upstairs to find her husband. Sitting on the bed with their seven month old daughter, singing her favorite song.

"Round about there, went a little hare. One step, two step…..tickle you right there!" He said, tickling her belly, which made her giggle and squeal…..Fred would make his fingers like a bunny rabbit, and made him 'hop' towards her….then he would walk his fingers on her nose as many steps as the song said…..and the last part, he would tickle her tummy…which would always get her giggling!

Frances chuckled at watching them. "I swear, there's nothing cuter than a daughter with her Papa."

"I agree…" Fred smiled and kissed his baby girl and picked her up.

"Melania, George and Mary Jane are waiting for you downstairs…."

"Oh! Okay, what do they need?"

"You'll see…."

"Not gonna tell me?" He chuckled.

"Nope…I'm just mean like that." Frances laughed, taking their daughter from his arms. She followed him downstairs.

"Well, look at this precious little cutie!" George Jr. exclaimed. "Look at her, growing like a weed!"

"Let's go to Uncle George, Helen!" Frances smiled and passed her off to her brother. "There we go!"

"We were wondering if you could help us with something, Fred…" Melania said.

"Sure….what do you need me to do? Fix something? Carve? Build something?"

"We need you to answer a question, Uncle Fred!" Mary Jane smiled.

"Of course…..Lay it on me!" He grinned.

"You lived in Minnesota, right?"

"Correct….Two years or so….Why?"

"Have you heard of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota?"

"Yeah…heard of it…Been there a few times…."

"There's an orphanage there, right?" She said excitedly.

"Yeah, Mary Jane….There is."

"We'd like to know if that's the only orphanage there..." Melania spoke up.

Fred thought a moment. "Far as I can tell it's the only one."

"All right, thank you, Fred" She smiled. "Well, George….I think that's our next place to look….Sleepy Eye, Minnesota."

"The boys?" Frances smiled.

"Yes!...I think they're there in Sleepy Eye."

"We'll go next week…how's that sound?" George Jr. asked his wife. Melania smiled and nodded at him.

"All right if we tag along?" Fred asked. "We could visit my sister and some friends in Walnut Grove….would be nice to see them again."

"I don't mind!" Melania smiled.

"How 'bout it, honey?" Fred turned to Frances.

"It's fine with me!" She smiled.

**A/N: The three orphanages in Iowa that were mentioned were actual orphanages! The Bremwood Lutheran in Waverly, the one in Mitchellville was in fact a girls' home…and the one in Eldora. There was also one in Tama County, which was a reform school called the Toledo Reform School. Which was a place for orphans in their teens who had gotten in trouble for their bad behavior….Hmmm. Kinda sounds like where Nancy Oleson would've gone! Lol.**

**The little wormy potato bit was actually true! Lol. Melania fed George Jr. some wormy potatoes…I guess to get back at him for something….She wasn't the nicest wife, as I've been told. Of course, in my story, it went a bit differently!**

**The song that Fred was singing to Helen was an earlier version of "Round and Round the Garden" which goes like this, ****"****Round and round the garden, Like a teddy bear. One step, two step, Tickle you under there!"****….I put my own spin on the finger motions….**


	51. Chapter 51

So the next week, the Gruber's and the Lay's made it to the next state to Minnesota. The stagecoach dropped the Gruber's off in Sleepy Eye…and the Lay's rode the stagecoach in to the little town of Walnut Grove.

"It'll be good to see the Ingalls' again…and Mary and Laura." Fred smiled.

"I'm excited to meet them, honey. I think any friend of yours is a friend of mine…"

"You know, this is the first time for me to meet their husbands?...They've grown up! I just can't believe it! I remember Laura as this little eleven year old girl!...Gosh, it's hard to believe!"

"Well, it's going to be exciting for the both of us…" Frances smiled, trying to get her youngest to quiet down, as she was fussy. "Yes Helen…I know, sweetheart. You don't like this bumpy ride, do you?" She said, snuggling her daughter, giving her light kisses to try to calm her down. "It's okay, baby girl….You're all right…." Frances saw Freddy squirming in his seat as well. You could tell the little guy was excited and could not stay still long enough! "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring the children….."

"They'll be fine! They just need to get used to it…..Besides, we'll see my sister…we'll have a good time."

"How do you expect a 23 month old and a 7 month old to get used to this?" Frances looked at him.

"I didn't mean it that way, honey…."

"I know…." She chuckled a little. "Just this stagecoach ride has Helen so cranky…and both of us." She laughed a little.

"I know…Freddy seems to enjoy the ride though!" He laughed, seeing his son bouncing up and down in his seat. There was a grin on his little face and his brown eyes were sparkling!

Frances chuckled a little. "Just as long as he stays seated…..if all possible, that is." She laughed.

The stagecoach finally made it to Walnut Grove. Fred hopped down and grabbed Freddy and set him on the ground beside him, surprisingly, he stayed put.

"Here, let me take the baby…" He said, grabbing his daughter, and lent a hand to help his wife down.

"I'll get our bags…." Frances said, going to the back of the stagecoach….the man grabbed two small carpet bags and handed them to her.

"Can ya handle 'em, ma'am?" He asked.

"Yes sir…Thank you." She smiled at him and returned to her family.

"Here, let's swap!" Fred chuckled, and he took the two bags and Frances held baby Helen on one hip, and grabbed hold of Freddy's little hand.

"Looks like this place has a nice restaurant…" Fred smiled. "Nellie's Restaurant & Hotel….Well, I'll be!"

"What Fred?"

"Oh….Nellie….one of the girls I knew here….Well, this is her restaurant, we'll see her inside….C'mon, let's go get something to eat!"

"Are you sure we have the money to spend like that?"

"Yes, I'm sure!...Got a good paycheck, Friday….Besides, I'm starving!"

"Well, okay!" Frances laughed. "C'mon Freddy….Up we go!' She said, picking him up and balancing him on her other hip. "My word, you're getting big!" Frances chuckled.

"Can ya handle them both?"

"Yes, I can…." She said, following her husband. Frances glanced at the window, "Why, on the window it says Caroline's! I thought this was Nellie's!" She laughed.

"Must be a co-ownership…" He laughed, walking inside.

"Well, Fred Lay! Look at you!...You haven't changed a bit!"

"Hello Mr. Oleson!" Fred smiled, shaking his hand.

"Call me Nels!...And who is this precious young lady?" He smiled.

Frances set Freddy down on the floor and he held onto her skirt. She shook Mr. Oleson's hand. "I'm Fred's wife, Frances….our son Freddy, and this is our daughter Helen…"

"Well how wonderful….I swear, you've grown up, Fred! Now, you're a family man!" He smiled. "Pardon me, catching up with an old friend causes me to forget my job!" He laughed. "Might I interest you in a room?"

Fred looked at his wife…"Well, we wouldn't be putting my sister out, huh? What do you think?"

"I think that's fine, whatever you want to do, honey."

"All right, I'll show you the room…." Nels said, walking upstairs with Fred.

"And might I ask why on the building it says "Nellie's"….but on the window, it says, "Caroline's"…it's been driving us berserk since we got here!" Fred laughed.

"Well Fred, my wife wanted this restaurant for Nellie…it's a long story but, we hired Mrs. Ingalls as a cook…..Nellie and her husband and their twins moved to New York….and the Ingalls' moved to Iowa. So we've had to rehire…and haven't had time to change the signs…..and well, I think the wife still considers it Nellie's…."

"Where in Iowa do the Ingalls live?" Fred asked.

"Burr Oak…."

"That's close to where we live!...We live in Dubuque." He said, placing his bags down in the room. "Thank you, Nels."

"You're welcome."

Frances and the children had taken a seat at one of the tables. Freddy had a hard time staying quiet. Some thought he was cute….others didn't.

"Freddy, quiet…We're inside now."

"Lady, tell your kid to be quiet!" An older man across the room hollered.

"Yes sir…I just did. I'm sorry he bothered you."

Fred came downstairs and joined his little family at the table.

"I'll get Hester Sue to take your order….she must be in the kitchen…." Nels said, rushing into the kitchen.

"Did he say Esther Sue?" Fred asked, with a puzzled look on his face.

"No…I think he said Hester Sue, honey."

"Who's that?"

"Well, how should I know?..." She laughed at him. "You're the one who lived in Walnut Grove!...Looks like we're going to find out." Frances smiled, seeing a black woman come over to their table.

"Well, hey y'all!…..What'll it be?" Hester Sue stood there, holding a little pad of paper.

"I'll have…two steak sandwiches with fried potatoes. And some coffee….with milk and sugar, please."

"All right…" Hester Sue smiled and turned to Frances. "And for you and the little ones?"

"Oh, the children and I can share…..just a bowl of stew, please."

"Will that be with one spoon or two?"

"Two please…" Frances chuckled.

Hester Sue smiled. "I'll be right back…."

"Lady's got a hundred dollar smile." Fred said, as they saw her walk into the kitchen.

"She does….Seems very nice." Frances smiled.

"Been wonderful to meet you!" Hester Sue exclaimed when she returned with Fred's coffee. "Mary's told me some about you, Fred."

"Oh, you know Mary?" Fred smiled. "Besides knowing the Ingalls of course…"

"Yes….Well, I taught with Mary and Adam at their blind school."

"Oh, in Burton?"

"Yes, we were in Iowa for a while….and here in Walnut Grove….and we spent some time in Sleepy Eye…and then the state took over the school….Mary and Adam went on to New York, and well,…I came back here…." Hester Sue smiled.

"Hester Sue!...Hester Sue! Will you…Will you come in and get these orders?" They heard a women's shrill voice holler.

"I'll be right back, folks…"

"Mrs. Oleson?" Fred asked.

"Mhmm…." Hester Sue smirked.

"Thought so….Sounded like her." He chuckled.

"Don't ya wish ya couldn't hear sometimes?" Hester Sue joked. Fred laughed as she went back into the kitchen. Frances just sat there, not knowing the little joke.

"What's wrong with Mrs. Oleson?" She asked in a whisper.

"Trust me….if you meet her, you'll understand."

"Well, okay…." Frances laughed a little.

Hester Sue came back with their orders and set them down on the table in front of them.

"Thanks Hester Sue….by the way, it's been great to meet you."

"The same to you…."

"So I hear the Ingalls' moved to Burr Oak, Iowa, did they?" Fred said.

"Yes. They did….Last year."

"Laura's still here though, isn't she?"

"Yes, Laura and Almanzo still live in Walnut Grove. They have a daughter, Rose….about your boy's age. And I must say your children are so darlin'!"

"Thank you…." Frances smiled.

"Could ya give us directions to my sister's place…and the Wilder's? We'd like to visit with them." Fred smiled.

"Well, sure!" She said, quickly writing them down on a piece of paper. "It's a little house…can't miss it! And Barbara's place is near the Garvey's old farm….a cute little home."

"Thank you, Hester Sue…." Fred said.

"Again, it's been wonderful to finally meet you." Frances smiled.

"You too, sweetie." Hester Sue said.

"Hester Suuuuue!" They heard Harriett wail from the kitchen. "Excuse me…I have a feeling I'm desperately needed in the kitchen…." Hester Sue walked back to the kitchen…again. "It's all right, Mrs. Oleson! I'm a comin'!"

Frances and Fred started to laugh quietly at their table. "Guess the woman can't cook so well…" He laughed.

"What a shame….." Frances chuckled.

"Let's just hope Mrs. Oleson didn't prepare our food." He chuckled .

"Fred John, I can't believe you!" She laughed. "Well, let's pray and eat, I think I can say for all of us when I say, I'm starving!" Frances smiled, and grabbed her husband's hand, who prayed, and they all enjoyed their little meal.

"Well, where do you want to go first? Wilder's or to my sister's place?"

"Wilder's…." She smiled, and she grabbed Freddy's hand, with the baby on her hip, and they set out.

"Hello, is this the Wilder place?" Fred asked a young girl who was outside, reading a little book.

"Sure is! I'm Jenny, their niece." She smiled.

"Well, hello there, Jenny!" Fred turned to his wife. "Boy, ain't she a cutie! Doesn't she remind you of someone?"

Frances thought a moment. "Mary Jane….She reminds me of Mary Jane! How cute."

"That's what I was thinking…." Fred smiled. "Well, Jenny….how old are you?"

"I'm 12, sir."

"Same age too! Boy, blows your mind a little!" He laughed. "Well, Jenny, I'm an old friend of your Aunt Laura's….Fred Lay, she should remember me."

"Okay, I'll go get her!" Jenny said, and ran inside.

"Same energy as Mary Jane too!" Frances chuckled, watching her run in. Jenny returned with her aunt, who was holding Rose. Almanzo followed behind them.

"Fred….Is that really you?" Laura grinned.

"Last time I checked it was!" Fred joked.

"You still have the same sense of humor, Fred." She laughed. "Can't believe how you're grown up!" Laura smiled. "You with a cute little family."

"Thanks. You too, Laura!...And here I remember this little girl!" He smiled.

"Well, come inside and we can get reacquainted!"

"And meet some new people…." Frances smiled. They all went into the Wilder's home.

"I can't get over this!" Laura laughed. "You're almost like a miniature me, Frances!" She said, after meeting her. Laura was about 5'4…when Frances was tiny, barely 5 foot tall!

"Okay, enough about my height!" Frances laughed, hands on her hips.

"They both have auburn hair and brown eyes." Almanzo stated.

"And that same feisty temperament!" Fred laughed.

"Who knew you'd go for a woman kind of like me, Fred….It was Mary that you liked!" She laughed.

Freddy sat down on the floor next to Rose. They played for a while.

"Freddy! We don't shove people!" Frances exclaimed, as she saw her son shove little Rose. "That is naughty, Fred George!" She went over gave him a light swat on his behind.

"Oh Frances, no need to get uptight…" Almanzo said.

"I saw Rose hit him first." Jenny spoke up, who was holding 7 month old Helen.

"That may be so…but I am not raising my son to be that way."

"Frances…see me outside for a moment." Fred said. "Excuse us, please."

"Certainly…" Laura said. Fred took his wife by the hand and they went outside.

"Don't you think that was a little uncalled for?" Fred asked.

"What?"

"What you did just a minute ago!" He snapped.

"I was disciplining our son." She stated. "How is THAT uncalled for?"

"What about never spanking in anger?...And why did you do it in front of everyone?" He raised his voice a little.

"I did not spank in anger! And he did something that called for correction immediately, I think!...And if you dislike it so much, then why don't you take over correcting him?"

"Frances….this is not the time…or the place to be talking about this."

"I agree….so let's drop it for right now." She said, calming down, and they went back inside together.

….

George, Melania and Mary Jane arrived at the orphanage in Sleepy Eye. A kind-looking older lady in a gray dress and a white apron and day cap came into the room.

"Hello, I'm Miss Mason….I teach the orphanage's school…along with other things I do here….You're looking to adopt a child, correct?"

"Yes…" George Jr. replied. "A certain couple of boys….."

Miss Mason smiled. "Don't they all…um, I didn't catch your names…."

"George Gruber Jr., my wife Melania and our daughter Mary Jane."

"What my husband is trying to say is…we're trying to find my two sons….we think they're here. It's a long story, but George wants to adopt the boys."

"I see…." She said solemnly. "The boy's names?"

"Paul and James Loney….."

"Oh Paul!...Yes, he's here! I'll go get him." The lady went out of the room to the boy's part of the building…..and soon returned with a tall, dark haired, dark-eyed, tanned skinned 14 year old boy.

"The boy's half-Indian…" George Jr. whispered.

Melania looked up at him. "I told you what I was…" She whispered. "I was with a couple Indian men….I don't know who his father is…." Melania confessed. "I'm sorry…I know this isn't the time to be saying all this…."

"You're right…It isn't." George Jr. whispered. "Go reunite with your boy…"He smiled, and gave her a kiss on the lips. She turned to go do so, and George Jr. gently grabbed her arm. "You know Lana,….it doesn't matter to me. The boys will be like my own…I'm serious." Melania smiled at him after hearing him say that, and walked over to her son Paul, and Miss Mason.

"Paul's a delightful boy….on the quiet side, but he opens up sometimes, enough to talk…he's a sweet young man. You should be proud of him." Miss Mason smiled.

Melania had tears in her eyes. "Oh, I am….very proud of him. I'm glad to know that about him." She smiled. "Look at you…So handsome, Paul!"

Paul wrapped his arms around his mother…he was about 5"9, a few inches taller than she. "Ma….you're prettier than the picture of you I have!" There were tears in his dark eyes. "I always knew you were beautiful. Now I can put the real face….with the picture."

Melania put her hands on his tanned face. "I love you….my boy."

"I love you too, Ma…."

"Look at you…you're so tall!" Melania chuckled. "So very handsome!" She said, wiping tears from her eyes. "Come over here….I want you to meet someone…Two someone's." Melania smiled.

"This is my husband, George. We've been married for about four months now…..He wants to adopt you and your brother James."

Paul nodded and smiled a little at George Jr.

"This is our daughter, Mary Jane…your younger sister."

"Hello Paul…." Mary Jane said softly.

"Don't you wanna hug your big brother?" He smiled a little, extending his arms, and pulling her into a hug.

"Paul….you've probably figured out…..that…I've done some things in my life that I'm not proud of. I'm sorry."

"Yes Ma." He said quietly. "But there's no need to apologize….we all do things we're not proud of. We all make mistakes."

Miss Mason came over to them. "I'm sure you would like to know about your youngest…."

"Yes….Where is James?"

"He is at the Toledo Reform School in Tama County, Iowa." Miss Mason said. "They sent him a week or so ago….we haven't had time to update our records lately."

"Toledo Reform School….That's a school for children with bad behavior…." George Jr. stated.

"Yes, I'll explain about that…..but I must say first, James is a wonderful little boy…He really is. He'll cheer you up and make you laugh till your sides ache!...And sometimes until you get a little tired of him!" She chuckled a little. "He really is a remarkable boy….Very interesting!" She laughed. " He gets very energetic at times and is a little loud…His schoolwork is quite a problem for him. It's harder for him to learn things….and memorize things, spell certain words, than the other students. Doctors don't know what it is, but, he has trouble reading and writing, almost like he mixes up the letters and is confused by them….I've tried to work with him as much as I could, but with that and his energetic behavior and such….Mr. Case decided to send him to the reform school."

"All right…." Melania said. She wasn't quite sure of what to say!

"Two more things….in school, it's almost like his mind is in, another world…I assume he daydreams. And if he does, he does it quite frequently….also, you will never see him sitting in a chair." She chuckled. "He's always standing up, leaning over his desk, no matter what the project is, he just has a hard time sitting down…."

"Okay….thank you for that information, Miss Mason."

"You're welcome….Would you like to start ironing out the details for adopting Paul?"

"Yes…." George Jr. nodded.

They went into Mr. Case's office and started to work on the papers for George to adopt Paul….Hours later, they ended up walking out of that office, with Paul no longer having the name of Paul Loney…..He was Paul Gruber now.

"I'm assuming you're wanting to adopt James as well, correct?" Mr. Case asked. George Jr. nodded.

"I must warn you, you're in for quite a struggle…a challenge…with that young boy! I've tried….but I just couldn't deal with him! Didn't have enough patience….he's not a bad kid, it's just…."

"We understand, Mr. Case…." Melania said.

"Most of the other teachers think he is!" Mr. Case chuckled a little, but it didn't seem all that funny to them. "Umm…well…uh, just when you are able to bring James back here, we can work on the adoption papers."

"Yes sir, Mr. Case." George Jr. said, and he and Melania shook the man's hand. "Thank you."

**A/N: The characters Mr. Case and Miss Mason are from two different LHOTP episodes, and of course, they're the people who run the Sleepy Eye Orphanage.**

**I put a lot of myself into James' character. Lol….In school, it was just hard for me to learn things, like the other kids….it was hard for me to memorize things. I did the best I possibly could, but school was just hard. I would get frustrated so much that I would think about something other than schoolwork (mainly, writing fan fiction!). And so I day dreamed…quite often. Lol. There were also times where I would get caught drawing something….or writing something for my fan fiction! Oops!….Then with my personality, I can be very hyper sometimes…and I've been loud and gotten a little carried away. Lol…..Also, in kindergarten, you would never find me sitting down! Lol. I don't know what it was, but I would always be standing up, leaning over my desk while I did my work! Lol. I just couldn't sit down!**

**I was telling my uncle about James' character, and he gave me the idea to have him be, a little dyslexic. So thanks to him for giving me that idea! **


	52. Chapter 52

"Well,…what do we do now?" Melania asked softly. "Guess we just…head home."

"Head on home?...No we won't!….Our plans are the same as ever!" George Jr. told her. "I want to adopt James as well."

"George….you really don't….a boy like that….the needs he has!" She stammered, tears flooding her eyes. "It's not like I don't want my own son! It's just…"

"I do, sweet thing….I want to adopt him. He and Paul will be like my own, I promise you that." He said, placing his hands on her slim shoulders. "He's a special boy, Miss Mason said….God only gives a child with needs like he has…to someone He knows can handle it."

"But are you sure we can?"

"I'm not sure…but He is." George Jr. said, pointing upward.

"But it's not like he was born into OUR family!"

"He was born to YOU…wasn't he?" He grinned.

"Well yes….but it's different."

"How so?" He asked quietly. "I don't see a difference….When I adopt him, he'll be my son!"

"You really want to do this, George?" Melania said, with tears in her blue eyes.

"I really do." He smiled down at her. George Jr. leaned down and kissed her soft lips. "I'm gonna telephone Walnut Grove and let Fred and my sister know that we'll be heading to Tama County…." He said, walking off to use the orphanage's telephone.

"Walnut Gro-ove!" Harriett Oleson's shrill and annoying voice was heard on the other end.

"Uh….um…could you be able to put Fred Lay on, please?" George Jr. was a little nervous and un-easy. He never used one of these contraptions before!

"Would I be able to put him on?..….Of course I can, it's my job…..Imbecile!" She muttered. "One moment, please!" Harriet spoke into the mouth-piece sweetly.

"Nels!" She hollered.

"Yes dear?" He asked, poking his head in the doorway.

"Is that Fred Lay at his sister's? Telephone call for him…"

"I don't know…They were headed over there. And they're not in their hotel room…"

"Nels, are they are not?" Mrs. Oleson hollered, annoyed.

"Go ring her place!" He hollered, and left the room.

"Nels!" She huffed, and turned her attention to the switchboard, and proceeded to telephone Barbara Guess' place. "Always yelling!"

"Hello?" Barbara answered the telephone when it rang. "Oh yes, Mrs. Oleson….He's here. Yes, I'll put him on."

"Telephone call for you, brother." She said. "From Sleepy Eye….I think they said it was your brother-in-law?"

Fred took the telephone and put his ear to the ear-piece….and spoke into the contraption. "Yeah, George….I'm on. Did you find the boys? Were they there in Sleepy Eye?"

"Yeah Fred…And we adopted Paul while we were here."

"Oh great!...What about James?"

"He's in Tama County, Iowa."

"At the reform school?"

"Reform school!" Harriett muttered.

"Did you hear something….or are you repeating yourself?" George Jr. chuckled.

There was dead silence as Harriett sat there, eyes shut tight….

"No…" Fred said. "Must be the connection or something…Anyway, why's he there? What did he do that was so wrong?"

"Nothing…He's not a bad kid. It's nothin' like that."

"Well, why's he there?"

"Well, they say the boy has….problems."

"Problems…" Harriett whispered, her eyes going wide, and her mouth gaping open a little.

"What kind of problems?" Fred asked.

"Mainly with his schoolwork…they say he's not…stupid of course, things are just harder for him to learn."

"They can't send a ten year old boy to a reform school for that…" Fred said.

"I'm getting to that…I guess the boy's…REALLY energetic….hard to handle, I guess."

Fred thought of something that could be used to send a child to a school like that…."Anger issues?"

"Not that we've been told." George Jr. said. "Guess we'll find out though…"

"Okay…so what are your plans?" Fred asked.

"Well, we're going to Tama County of course….to get James, take him back to Sleepy Eye, and adopt him there….Y'all can stay in Walnut Grove for a few more days….and then we can all take a train back home."

"Sounds like a good plan, George."

"Thanks…Well, we'll be seein' ya."

"All right…Bye."

As Harriett heard that the call had ended, she set down the ear-piece. She was itching to tell someone this gossip, so she got up, but when she turned around,…there was Nels.

"Not this time, Harriett….you've done it once with the Garvey's and then again with Sylvia and Mr. Webb."

"Oh, Nels! Must you always be so…."

"I'm not letting you do this to our friends….and complete strangers! We don't know the Gruber's from Adam! I'm not letting you ruin their lives too…"

"Nels…" She huffed.

…

The Gruber's took a train to Tama County, Iowa and made it to the Toledo Reform School. One of the teachers, a Miss Lehrer, showed them around the place, the boys there going about their business.

"We provide educational classes and Bible lessons for the boys. Sometimes the boys who come to live at this school make friends and are satisfied to live here. Other times they are very unhappy and run away…James is more of the latter rather than the former….He does like it here, and he has made friends….but he sometimes…from the few weeks he has been here, he has tried to escape."

"My word…." Melania gasped.

"It's quite all right, Mrs. Gruber…we've always managed to find him and bring him back here….and then he goes back into his routine. He even seems to enjoy himself…." The young woman went on, "The boys here learn how to make shoes and clothing. Like many schools of our type, we also have a farm, and the boys help with the farming. Some of the produce is used for their meals, and some of it is sold. They also learn school subjects. Each boy works four hours and attends school for four hours. On Saturday afternoons the boys have time to play and enjoy themselves and be with their friends. On Sunday they go to church and have outings."

"Seems like a very nice school, Miss Lehrer…." George Jr. said. "Good schooling for the boy, I'm guessing…"

"Education here is more than school subjects and job skills. The teachers here give moral leadership. And we teach the boys to keep themselves clean, to be polite, and to use good manners."

"I think that's all wonderful…" Melania smiled.

A group of boys ran past them. One of the male teachers stopped one of them. The freckled-faced young boy huffed and his shoulders sank. He said something, and tried to go past the man, but he stopped him again, and he guided the boy over to Miss Lehrer and the Gruber's.

"No! No, I wanna go play!" The boy whined. "I wanna go outside with my friends!"

"James….don't you want to meet your folks?" The man asked.

"It's Jimmie!" He hollered, and pushed the man and went running.

"I'll be right back…." The man said, and went running after the boy.

"Does he always act like this?" Melania asked, her eyes widened.

"He has his good days…and his bad days." She sighed. "He'll get in with your family and he'll get used to things….I hope."

The young man and James soon returned, James whining all the way. "Lay off Mr. Taggart!...Let go! Let go of me!"

"Nope kid…you are going to meet your folks."

"I wanna go play!" He whined.

"Maybe you can later…don't you want to meet your Ma and step-Pa.?"

James didn't say anything, but he still put up a bit of a fight against the young Mr. Seth Taggart. "C'mon James…"

"Jimmie!" The ten year old hollered.

"Okay, c'mon Jimmie…."

"That's better now…." James, or should we say, "Jimmie" was satisfied.

"Jimmie…you're too funny." Mr. Taggart chuckled a little. "C'mon, let's go meet your folks….."

"James…." Melania smiled, getting down a bit so she could be near eye level with the boy.

"It's Jimmie!" He whined.

"All right, Jimmie." She smiled. "Honey….you're so handsome, my little boy…..So healthy!" Melania smiled, hugging her youngest child. Jimmie lightly pushed her off of him. "I'm not little!" He whined, crossing his arms.

"No….No you're not, sweetheart." She smiled. "Here, I want you to meet someone…." Melania said, bringing her daughter over. "This is Mary Jane…"

"Don't you want to hug her, Jimmie?" Mr. Taggart whispered.

"Me? Hug a girl?...Nah, no way! No mushy stuff!"

"Jimmie, she's your sister…." He whispered.

Jimmie stuck his lower lip out, his chin scrunched, and he shrugged his shoulders. "Well,…okay!" And he hugged his older sister, to which Mary Jane giggled a little.

"Hey Jimmie…Can I talk to you a bit?"

"Sure Mr. Gruber!" Jimmie was opening up a little, surprisingly.

George Jr. sat down with the boy on a bench and put an arm around him. "Do you know why I'm here, Jimmie?"

"Nah…why Mr. Gruber?"

"I want to adopt you, son….I've adopted your brother, Paul."

"Paul's here?" James said excitedly.

"Yup, he's outside…with the buckboard we rented." George Jr. said. "Jimmie, did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah, yeah…you said you want to adopt me or somethin'…." He said loudly.

"How do you feel about that?"

Jimmie shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, I guess."

"Which means you'll have to leave this place, Jimmie."

"Okay…" He said, and he didn't seem too disappointed.

"All right, buddy!" George Jr. said, ruffling the boy's head of light brown hair.

"Can we get outta here now? I wanna see Paul!"

"Okay, Jimmie…." George Jr. chuckled.

"Well, guess this is good-bye, Jimmie." Mr. Taggart said, shaking the boy's hand.

"We'll miss you, James." Miss Lehrer smiled.

Jimmie's green eyes got wide! "Oooooo!..You're standing next to her all close-like! Are you in love?...You gonna ask to marry her, Seth?"

"Jimmie…"

"Well, are ya, Seth?"

"It's Mr. Taggart to you." Seth replied.

"I'm getting out of here before James says anything more!" Miss Lehrer said, and smiled at Seth.

"Bye Clara." He smiled.

"Well, are ya, Mr. Taggart?"

"I think it's time for us to leave, James." Melania said quickly.

"Okay Ma….See ya, Mr. Taggart!" And so James, Melania, Mary Jane and George Jr. went outside to the buckboard.

"Paul!" James hollered as soon as he saw his brother, ran to him and clung to his torso.

"Hey James…." Paul laughed and patted his brother's back…he was used to this. It was just the way James normally acted. Sometimes it was funny, other times….it was a little annoying.

"I missed you, Paul!...But it was fun here! We got to work on the farm! And I went hunting!...I caught a fox in a fox trap the other day!"

"Neat…" Paul smiled.

"So could you tell us about your stay at the Sleepy Eye orphanage, Jimmie?" Mary Jane asked him.

"I hated that that place!...I hated that place, don't make me go back there!" James said, clinging to her and he pulled on her arm. "Some blond girl named Nancy was there! She was a maniac! She bit me! I thought I was gonna die!...I really thought I was gonna DIE!" He panted, his eyes going wide as he was looking at her.

"It's okay, Jimmie…" Mary Jane said.

"Well, I really thought I was gonna die!" He said quickly and then laughed.

Paul, Mary Jane and James all hopped in the back of the buckboard. And they set out. They took a train back to Sleepy Eye, Minnesota and made it there in a few days. They went to the orphanage….and it was there that James took on the last name of Gruber.

**A/N: Well, Seth Taggart and Clara Lehrer are my own characters! :)**

**Hmmm…some blond girl named Nancy at the Sleepy Eye Orphanage? Can you guess who that is? Lol. **

**Remember the LHOTP episodes "Crossed Connections" and "Sylvia" where Mrs. Oleson listened in on the telephone calls? Yeah, just had to put that in there. :) **


	53. Chapter 53

Four years had passed. The year was 1892, and of course everyone had grown older. Fred, George Jr. and Melania were all 32, and Frances was the young age of 24. Of course the children had grown! Paul was a strapping young man of 18, Mary Jane was 16, and young James was 14. Little Freddy was 6 years old and was just about to start his first day of school!

"Freddy, do you have your slate and slate pencil? And your new McGuffey reader?"

"Yeah Mama!" The 6 year old beamed up at his mother.

"Fred George." She laughed. "What do you have on your shirt?" Frances put her hands on her hips.

Freddy looked at the front of his tan plaid shirt. "Ummm….breakfast!"

"What do we need to do?"

"Oh, it looks okay, Mama!" He said, starting to go to the front door to join Paul, Mary Jane, and James who were waiting for him to walk him to school.

"Stop it right there, mister….let's go to your room and change your shirt."

"But Mama!" He whined.

"No sir…do we whine?" Frances asked.

"No Mama…." Freddy said softly.

"C'mon, let's go change your shirt, and then you can be off with your cousins." She said, guiding her son off into the parlor room, in the little room next to the front door. That was Freddy's room now….Helen's was the room next to the stairwell.

"Fred George!" Frances exclaimed, walking into the six year old's room. It was like a tornado had hit! There were clothes and shoes all over his room! Long-johns on the floor and draped on his dresser….shirts and trousers scattered here and there…and everywhere! A shoe lying under the bed, and one on the floor by his dresser. "Should we keep our bedroom a mess like this?"

"No Mama…" Freddy said quietly. He grabbed a clean red shirt from his dresser and his mother helped him button it.

"When you get home from school, I want you to pick up everything and straighten it. Any dirty clothes, give them to me and I'll wash them….."

"But you did the wash yesterday! Wash on Monday!" He said, matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but I can make time since it's just your clothes, hm…."

"Yes Mama…"

"Freddy…" Frances said, her hands on his shoulders. "I don't want you keeping your room like this. We keep our room clean and tidy…that way if we're in a rush and we need to find something, it's right there!"

Freddy smiled a little. "Okay Mama…" He said, and hugged his mother. "I know what happens if I disobey you, Mama! I get a spankin' from you!...I don't want that!"

"Well, let's try not to get that…." She chuckled. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah Mama!" Freddy grinned.

"Get going then!" She smiled, giving her son a kiss on the cheek.

"Love you!" He said and started to go through the front door.

"Freddy, I wanna go to school wif you too!" Helen said. She was always very determined.

"You can't!" He whined at his little sister. "You're too little!"

"I am not!" She said, crossing her little arms.

"Helen….sweetheart…" Frances said, crouching down beside her daughter. "When you're six, you can go to school, all right?"

"No! I go today!" She said, bringing her fists down at her sides. Her dark eyes staring back at Frances.

"No ma'am you don't…." Frances said. "You go when you're six…like Freddy. You get to help Mama today, okay?" Helen stood there, and after a few moments, she shook her head yes.

"Mama…I gotta get goin'!" Freddy exclaimed.

"Go then!" Frances laughed, and saw him run out the door and down the road with his cousins.

"So Freddy, are you excited for your first day of school?"

"Yeah Paul!"

"Are you a little scared Freddy?" Mary Jane asked, laying a hand on his little shoulder.

Freddy thought a little. "Nah!" He said shaking his head.

"Good…" She smiled.

"Can we go huntin' again sometime James? I like goin' huntin' with you!"

"Sure Freddy, maybe Saturday…." James smiled.

"Mary Jane!" A young man's voice called out, the children turned around and saw a 16 year old boy running towards them.

"Here comes that Zust boy, Mary Jane…." James grinned.

"Mary Jane, can I carry your books for you?" He asked, panting as he was a little out of breath.

Mary Jane smiled at him.

"Well, is it all right?" The light brown-haired boy smiled. "Can I?"

"Sure Sam…" Mary Jane smiled.

"Mary Jane's got a boyfriend!" James whispered as he, Paul and Freddy walked ahead of them.

"Oh shut your face, James!" She laughed, and then looked at Sam and they smiled at each other. "Did you hear what he said?"

"Depends if I heard right." Sam laughed. "I heard the word 'boyfriend'."

"You heard right…" She smiled a little. "Would you?"

"Depends….on what your Pa says."

"You won't know unless you ask him, Sam…" Mary Jane smiled.

"I'm surprised he just doesn't see it!" Sam chuckled. "I really like you….and you like me."

"You didn't say really…"

"Wasn't sure, exactly….if you…"

"Sam…I do really like you." Mary Jane smiled at him.

"Now I know…" He grinned at her. "C'mon! Let's get going or we'll be late!" Sam said, taking her hand and they ran the rest of the way to the East Stone Hill School.

….

"Helen, come on, let's get you dressed. Can't spend all day in your nightclothes, baby."

"I not a baby!" Helen said.

"Well, okay, Miss Lady!" Frances chuckled. "Come on, let's pick out your dress."

"Dis one!" Helen said, pointing at a dress from the few Frances had laid out for her to choose.

"The light purple one?" Frances smiled. "Pretty, Helen!"

"Dank you, Mama…."

Frances smiled. "You're welcome…now, let's get your clothes on. Let's take off your undershirt and put a new one on…" She said, helping her.

"I do it myself, Mama!" Helen said, and pulled off the little cream-colored camisole…she was dressed now in a little pair of bloomers and went running outside on that late August morning.

"Helen Frances! Come back here!" Frances laughed and went outside and chased her giggling, bubbly four year old around the little yard. Helen hid behind the locust tree and peeked and saw her mother and ran to the purple lilac bush. It was there that Frances caught her!

"You silly girl!" Frances laughed. "C'mon! Let's go back inside and get the rest of you dressed!" She said, bringing her little girl back inside the house. Frances let her daughter dress herself in the little purple dress, helping with the buttons of course, and got her dressed in some little brown shoes. "Let's brush your hair…." Frances grabbed Helen's little hairbrush, sat her on her lap, and brushed out her short blonde hair. It flipped outwards by itself and was just so cute.

"Look at my two pretty ladies!" Fred smiled, giving little Helen a kiss on the cheek and his wife a peck on the lips.

"I swear she looks more and more like her Papa everyday…" Frances smiled at her husband.

"Ha…yeah." He grinned. "Looks better on her."

"Fred John…."

"What?" He laughed.

"You better not be putting down on yourself." She said, her hands on her hips.

"Oh, I'm not…I'm not." He smiled.

"Good…" She smiled, giving him a kiss. "Because you're wonderful."

"Yeah…" He laughed. "All 180 pounds of wonderful…"

"Fred….it's just more of you to love." Frances laughed.

"I like that idea…" He grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist. Fred gave her a few kisses and moved his way down her neck.

"I think you need to get off to work, don't you…." She whispered.

"It's my day off….and I found something much better to work on….." He whispered as he kept reaching his hand lower on her body.

"Well…I'm sorry…but you're not getting lucky." Frances chuckled, breaking free from his grasp. "I have an errand to run. Just down to the mercantile…." She said, picking Helen up.

"Down!" Helen whined.

"What do you say?"

"Pease….down pease…."

With that, Frances set her down on the floor again….The three of them headed to the mercantile. Frances went to look at a few bolts of fabric, and Fred kept Helen occupied by showing her different things around the store.

"Look here, Helen….All the pretty dresses and hats…." Fred smiled, and took a ladies hat off of the shelf and put it on the four year old's little head.

"Oh Mr. Lay, your daughter is the cutest little thing!" One of the old widows exclaimed, when she saw the toddler with the oversized hat on her head, blond locks peeking out from under it.

"What do you say to Mrs. Cassel?" Fred said quietly. "Huh Helen? What do you say?"

"Dank you soooo much!" She grinned, stretching her arms out.

"Oh she's so adorable! And so well-mannered for her age!" The widow smiled. "What is she? Three or four?"

"She's four, Mrs. Cassel."

"Adorable! That's all I can say!" The widow said, walking off to another part of the mercantile.

"Well, I think that's enough with the hat, Helen…" Fred smiled, taking the hat off of her and placing it back on the shelf.

….

"Welcome back to school, children!" The school-teacher smiled, standing up at her desk in front of the children. "I hope to have another good year this year…." She smiled. "Well, let's meet our new students we have, shall we?" Freddy, and a few other students stood up and walked to the front of the room…

The school mistress introduced some other children and came to Freddy. "This is Fred Lay Jr. but he likes to be called Freddy…..and I believe you're the Gruber kids' cousin, right?" She smiled at him, and Freddy nodded. "It's his very first day at school so be sure to make him welcome!...Freddy if there's anything you need, come up to my desk and ask me, all right?"

"Yes ma'am…." He said quietly.

"You can take your seat now, Freddy…" The school teacher said, and Freddy walked to the front row and sat down. The students got started on their lessons, and the teacher asked Freddy if he knew his alphabet. He said he did, and so his first lesson was to write the alphabet on his little slate, so he began.

James, though he was 14 years old, was put in the 6th grade. When he was first enrolled in the East Stone Hill School, his parents told the school board of his problems with learning and they agreed for him to be put in that grade…yet, things were still a little hard for him. He opened his McGuffey's Third Eclectic Reader, and tried to read one of the lessons silently to himself…..

"_The White Kitten."_ He read. _"My little white kitten's aslee…_is that a d or a p_?..._asleed? No, that's not right….a-s-l-e-e-p…asleep_….asleep on my knee; As white as the sno.…_is that a m or a w? Snom? As white as the snom? But that, that's not a word! So it's w? Ugh! This is so confusing!...Okay, James, just try it again._" _He told himself_…."_S-n-o-w, snow_…As white as the snow or the lilies is she; She wakes up with a…. _p or a d? Dur? Pur? Must be pur!_...She wakes up with a pur; When I stroke her soft fur: Was there ever another white kitten like her?..._I did it! I think I read it!...I hope I can read the whole thing!" He thought, and slowly, he tried his best to read each word over again. The story went on and he turned the page and tried to read more.

"_My little white kitten no…._m or w? n-o-m? nom? n-o-w…now_…now wants to go out…..And frolic, with _on or no? on one to watch her about? That doesn't make sense…so its…_no one to watch her about ;…."Little kitten," I say,…."Just an ho…_is that u or the letter n? Why is this so hard for me?" His thoughts seemed to scream. " Just _an ho_…h-o-n-r…honr? No, that's not it...h-o-u-r hour…_Just an hour_ _you may stay….. And _d or b? de? be? Its be_….be careful in choosing your_….is that q or a p? qlaces? places? I thinkits places_, _because qlaces isn't a word_ …... places to play."_

"Lunchtime, children…." The school teacher announced.

"It took me two hours to read two stinkin' pages?" James whined.

"Is something wrong, James?"

"Ummm…no Miss Baines."

"All right, go outside with the other children and have lunch then…." Miss Baines said, and James did as he was told. He sat down on the school steps with his brother and cousin Freddy, and enjoyed his bacon sandwich, apple and hard-boiled egg. He went to the well and got a drink and came back and continued to enjoy his lunch.

A boy came up to the three boys…the boy was near Paul's age. He was one of the new kids. "Well, lookie here….we got an Injun in our midst!" The boy kept calling him names and made fun of him.

"Hey! Leave my brother alone!" James hollered at the boy.

"James, just ignore him…." Paul said. "Don't pay him no mind."

"Ha ha….'Cause the kid knows he's an Injun!" The boy mocked.

"Leave them alone!" Freddy piped up.

"Shut up, kid…" The boy laughed, pushing Freddy down on his little behind.

"You guys are meanies!"

"Awww, ain't that cute….he called us a name…." The boy laughed mockingly to one of his friends.

"Hey, we got an Injun….and a retard!" One of the boys said.

"James isn't a retard!" Freddy said. "You are for saying that!"

"Oh yeah….James just can't read!" The boy got in Freddy's face. "You think that hurts me? Shut up, kid." And the boy pushed him….and again Freddy fell down.

"Hey, leave them alone!" Mary Jane said, picking Freddy up. "They never did anything to you!"

"And if we don't?" The other boy laughed. "You're a girl, what could you do?"

The other boy came up behind Mary Jane and held her by the arms . "You're kinda perty….you got a boyfriend?"

"Leave me alone…" She said.

"Hey Carl, haven't you ever heard the term, 'It is good for a man not to touch a woman'?"

Carl sneered. "You believe that Bible junk, Sam?"

"Yeah, I do…And it ain't junk….now get your hands off her." Sam Zust told the boy. "And you and Danny better leave these guys alone."

"Yeah, like you'll do anything, Zust." Danny laughed.

"You wanna bet?"

"Yeah, you'll probably just tell Baines about it…."

"Not that…." Sam said, glaring at them, fists clenching.

"Oh, he thinks he's tough, eh?" Danny laughed. "You can't fight worth crap, I bet!" He said, pushing Sam a little.

"See, little Zusty Wusty can't defend himself!" Carl laughed.

"Shut it, Carl."

"What'cha gonna do about it?" He asked and punched Sam in the mouth, giving him a fat lip.

"This!" Sam said, and punched Carl right in the nose and sent him to the ground!

Carl sat there on the ground. "Ah….Aww….Oh!...You broke my nose!...He broke my nose!" He sat there holding his broken, bleeding nose.

"You want the same, Danny?" Sam threatened.

"Na. Nah-uh!" He muttered, and backed away and started running to the other side of the schoolyard. Carl managed to get up and walk himself to Doc Clark's to get his nose examined and fixed up.

"Thank you, Sam…" Mary Jane smiled at him. "You not only stood up for the boys, but for yourself."

"And for you…when he touched you like that…well,…made me mad, it did."

"Well, thank you, Sam." She smiled.

James started whispering in his sister's ear. "Mary Jane and Sam…sittin' in a tree….K-I-S-S-"

"Finish that and I will hurt you, James!" Mary Jane whispered back. Her little brother was really embarrassing her! She knew very well that she couldn't stop blushing!

**A/N: In real life, the year would've been 1918.**

**Description of the McGuffey's Third Eclectic Reader, which James used! "Develops thinking skills and the richer vocabulary of grades six through eight. Famous authors like Addison, Irving, and Byron. Readings on questions such as how we know the Bible is from God; character building topics such as work versus idleness; and topics of science and nature. This book is an education and not merely a Reader. After mastering this, the student is reading better than most high school students."**

**I remember using a McGuffey Reader in the 5th, 6th grade… Possibly the one which I used the sample of! Lol. Of course, I went to a Christian school. They don't use books like this in public schools anymore. **

**And of course, Carl, Danny, Mrs. Cassel, and Miss Baines are my own characters. Lol.**


	54. Chapter 54

"I hope these cookies will do for the church picnic tomorrow!" Frances said, stirring in the ingredients for the batch she was making.

"Frances, they'll have too!" Melania joked. "Besides! You're a wonderful cook! I'll bet they'll go crazy over them!...No one can turn down one of these!"

Frances chuckled. "Well, we sure do love to eat, don't we?...Plus, I don't think I could turn down a coconut cookie! Or the coconut itself for that matter!" She laughed. "….Did you save the coconut milk?"

"Oh yes! Half into a jar for your family….and some for mine. James loves it!...I can't get that boy away from it!" Melania laughed.

"Speaking of one of your children….where is Mary Jane? You think she'd be helping us right now!" Frances chuckled.

"The girl's always up in her room now….Will barely eat and keeps to herself…I've tried to talk with her, but she won't let me….."

"Do you know what's wrong?"

"I have a feeling…..boy troubles."

"Ever since Sam moved away last year…." Frances stated.

Melania nodded.

"Mind if I go up to her room and talk to her?"

"I think that would be good…oh, and give this to her….I stopped at the post office this morning. Look what came for her."

Frances read the address. "It's from Sam!...Oh, this will brighten her mood!"

"I sure hope so…" Melania said.

Frances went upstairs and knocked on Mary Jane's bedroom door.

"Come in…its open."

"Hey, Mary Jane….Just thought I'd come up and talk a little bit." Frances said, sitting down on the bed. "Come on, girl….talk to me!" She smiled, nudging her a little. "I bet you I can help you if you tell me what's going on."

"It's nothing Aunt Frances…." She said quietly.

"I don't think so…Your Ma says you haven't been eating as much…you've lost weight. You know that's not good for you! You're as skinny as a rail as it was!" Frances laughed. "Come on, tell your favorite Aunt what your problem is."

"It's over for Sam and I. I tried to tell myself otherwise…but now I know. He's moved away and I'll never see him again." Mary Jane sighed, feeling tears well up in her eyes, and she laid her head on her Aunt's shoulder.

"Now, don't say that…You don't know that, Mary Jane."

"I'm 18 years old and I'm going to grow up to be an old maid!"

"Mary Jane…you will not!" Frances laughed a little.

"We were barely anything to begin with! All it was…smiles….small talk…joking with each other…And just when I want it to be more, he moves away!"

"Mary Jane, Mary Jane, Mary Jane…." Frances said and then sighed. "Look back on those little things and smile! Remember those cute little moments with him! Enjoy them!"

"Why should I?"

"Because they happened in the first place…." She smiled and then spoke again. "Have you ever heard the term, big things come in small packages?"

"What are you getting at?" Mary Jane asked, wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Let me tell you a story…all right?" Frances smiled, wrapping an arm around her niece.

"All right…."

"Once upon a time, there was a young, 16 year old girl. Every summer, she would take her family's two cows to their grazing spot. It was usually fenced in, but the place where this girl was leading them instead, due to the drought, was all open country….It was a job she didn't care much about, but on this particular day, the bossies gave her no trouble at all, for which she was grateful. On that warm summer afternoon, this girl saw a young man coming up the road. Tall, about 23 or 24 years old. He was wearing a hat…and had a newspaper tucked up under his arm. He greeted her with a hello, but the girl didn't return his greeting. He made her a little nervous, him being a total stranger….and she was very glad the little creek was between them. The young man passed by and went up a little hill, sat down by a tree and read his newspaper. She glanced at him and was watching him out of the corner of her eye….and thought he had smiled at her, but she soon went back to her magazine, and him to his newspaper….The girl thought she should head home, and so she started leading the cows back the way she came, when passing by, the young man said hello to her again…and again, she didn't say a word….."

"What is your point to this loooong story?" Mary Jane sighed.

"There's a little more! Be patient…" Frances chuckled. "Well, that summer had passed…and one day, the girl was about to go to a 'picture show' with her best friend, but she heard some voices coming from downstairs, which was nothing new to her, because they would sometimes have visitors over…..and anyway, it turned out one of her brothers had a few friends over, one of which was the young man she saw that past summer. The young man came right over to her, shook her hand and they started talking. She apologized for not returning his greeting. He said he understood, that it was all right, because in his country, everyone greets each other, even if they don't know each other….

"Are you finished yet?"

"Almost…." Frances smiled. "Do you know what happened?"

Mary Jane shook her head.

Frances smiled a little. "They got married,…and their start was simple, Mary Jane!"

Mary Jane was silent a few moments.

"Do you know who this young girl was?"

"Who?" She asked.

"You're looking at her…." Frances smiled. "And of course that young man, was your Uncle Fred….Mary Jane, our start was the most simple I think simple can get." She laughed. "Me not saying hello…we still joke about it years later...saying I snubbed him." Frances smiled and chuckled a little bit. "Our start was small, but it turned out to be an even greater thing!...I'm not saying you'll grow up and marry Sam someday…but there's always hope, so don't just give up!"

Mary Jane smiled at her aunt. "You're right, Aunt Frances…"

"Your mother wanted me to give this letter to you…." Frances smiled.

Mary Jane took it from her and glanced at it. Her brown eyes lit up. "It's from Sam!"

"I'll leave you alone so you can read it." Frances smiled, and walked out of the room and back downstairs.

"Problem fixed?" Melania asked.

"I sure think so…" Frances smiled. "I know that letter lifted her spirits."

Mary Jane came rushing downstairs in a giddy frenzy. "Sam wrote me a letter! He's here in Dubuque!...This letter said he'd be in by the 26th! That was last week. You know how slow the mail is…He's staying at the boarding house on Iowa Street . He wrote he wants to see me!"

"You think he's still there?" Her mother asked.

"Yes!" She smiled excitedly. "Says he'd be staying for two, three weeks…then he has to go back home….Can I go see him, Ma?...Please?"

"I'll have Paul drive you there…."

"Thank you, Ma!" Mary Jane smiled and hugged her neck…."Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you so, SO much!" The 18 year old couldn't stop smiling as tears came to her eyes. She rushed out the door with her 20 year old brother, who brought her to 428 Iowa Street, Mrs. Matthews' Boarding House.

"Your girl's in love…." Frances smiled, as they saw her run out.

"I know…." Melania smiled, tears welling up in her eyes. "I hope she marries a wonderful man one of these days…"

"She will…don't worry, she will." Frances smiled.

(

"Hello, Mrs. Matthews…"

"Hello, child….what a nice surprise. It's good to see you!"

"It's great to see you too…Is Sam Zust here?" Mary Jane smiled. "He wrote me a letter and said he was here…." She beamed.

"Room 12…." The lady smiled.

"Thank you, Mrs. Matthews!" She grinned, running up to the room. Mary Jane stood there outside the door, smiled, took a breath, and knocked on the door. The door was opened , and there he stood, tall, handsome, 18 year old, Sam Zust.

"Mary Jane!" He exclaimed, wrapping her in an embrace. "I didn't think you'd come!"

"Didn't think I'd come?...Sam, are you crazy?" She asked, her head pressed against his chest. "I've missed you!" They both said at once. Her head snapped up to meet his and they smiled at each other.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you, Mary Jane." He grinned at her. "I love you."

"I love you too, Sam…." Mary Jane smiled up at him, her brown eyes shining. "Let's go downstairs….you can tell me all you've been up to." She giggled.

"All right…" Sam laughed. They walked downstairs together and sat at Mrs. Matthew's kitchen table. They talked for hours, catching up with each other. Then Mary Jane felt she should head home.

"I hear your church is having a 4th of July picnic tomorrow." Sam smiled. "All right if I go with you?"

"Of course, Sam…." She smiled, and went out the door.

"She's a sweet girl, Mr. Zust…." Mrs. Matthews smiled at the young man.

"Gee, Mrs. Matthews….you don't have to call me that. Mr. Zust is my Paw…." He chuckled. "You can call me Sam…."

"Well then….she's a sweet young lady….SAM." Mrs. Matthews laughed. "When are you going to ask for her hand in marriage?" She smiled.

Sam grinned. "Planning on asking her the night of the pinic."

"Well, good luck…." Mrs. Matthews smiled. "And if you're in need of a room for say….a honeymoon night….you're welcome to one here." She chuckled.

Sam grinned at the thought of a honeymoon night with Mary Jane. Yet, he managed to snap out of it…a little. "Thanks, Mrs. Matthews…"

"You're welcome, Sam…"

(

Four months later…..

"Well, this is nice….seems like now a days, we barely have time to ourselves anymore." Fred grinned, with Frances sitting on his lap, enjoying the warmth from the fire in the hearth on one cool November evening. The 12th to be exact.

"I know…." She sighed, her head pressed against his chest. "…but we can fix that." Frances grinned and titled her head up so she could kiss her man. She wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back.

"Oh, that hurt…." He moaned.

"I'm sorry, I forgot you hurt your back!" She winced. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's all right, honey…." Fred said. "I just gotta watch it when I'm chopping wood from now on….Been working too hard, I guess." He chuckled a little.

"Freddy can help you more….."

"Nah, don't wanna push him too hard…He's only 8." Fred covered her lips with his. "Let's get back on track, huh?"

"All right…." Frances giggled in a low pitch. Fred had placed his hands up her skirt and she felt his hands brush against her thigh. He was about to say something when they heard a loud, hurried knock on the door…they bolted up out the chair and went into the next room, the noise waking up Freddy and Helen as well, and so they came out of their rooms…

"Kids, go back to bed." Fred chuckled. "It's all right, you have nothin' to worry about!"

"But we wanna see who's here, Papa!" Freddy said excitedly.

"Fine, but then you go back to sleep!" Frances said. "You have school tomorrow." She went with the three of them following her into the kitchen and she opened the back door.

"Grandma!" The eight and six year olds exclaimed.

"Hello sweethearts!" She said, giving both of them a kiss on the cheek.

"Ma…what are you doing here this late at night?" Frances chuckled.

"I wanted to tell you the good news!" Franziska beamed. "Nona just had her baby! A girl, Frances Josephine! You have a little namesake!"

"How wonderful…." Frances smiled. "Congratulate Joe and Nona for us!"

"Six grandchildren!...Six beautiful grandchildren!" Franziska beamed. "Paul, Mary Jane, James, Fred Jr., Helen, and now Frances Josephine!" She smiled at saying the newest grandchild's name.

"Wonder when a seventh will show up!" Fred said, nudging his wife.

"Fred John!" Frances exclaimed and was about to slap him!

"Do you two have something to tell me?" Franziska grinned.

"No we don't!" Frances said, and began to chuckle. "He's only joking…right honey!" She said, looking at him.

"Well…." Fred began to say.

"Fred!" Frances exclaimed. "No….no, no, no, no…not right now! Freddy and Helen are enough!" She laughed a little.

"In a few years?" Fred grinned.

"Maybe…." Frances smiled at her husband.

"Well, I best be getting back home…Just thought I'd let you all know!" She smiled.

"Thanks for telling us, Ma…Goodnight." Frances smiled, and shut the door after her mother left. "Now, off to bed, children!" Frances smiled, and gave both of them a kiss and a hug goodnight. "You have school tomorrow…."

"Goodnight, Mama." Helen smiled.

"Yeah, 'night Mama!" Freddy said, going off to his room.

Six year old Helen looked up at her mother. "I'd like a little brother or sister!"

"Helen…get to bed!"

"Yes Mama…." She said, and walked into her little room.

**A/N: Mrs. Matthew's Boarding House was found on 428 Iowa Street in Dubuque. She catered to many railroad employee's, since she was less than three blocks away from three different railroads.**

**Frances Josephine Gruber was born to Joseph and Nona Gruber on November 12****th****, 1921. **


	55. Chapter 55

Another year passed, and it was 1895. 19 year old, Mary Jane Gruber was on her bed, looking at pictures of different wedding dresses, as her wedding to Sam Zust was coming up in less than a month….Yes, Sam asked her to marry him that July 4th, right after the fireworks were finished, telling her it was she who really lit up his life! She of course accepted his proposal, and they were engaged and had been for about six months now…..

"Oh Ma….look at this one! The material is lovely! It's light as a feather with a color on color floral print. Oh, look at the bodice on the dress, Ma!...The bodice features a square neckline with ruching encircling the entire neckline. Wide, cream moiré ribbon ties on each shoulder. The ruching around the neckline creates some gathering through the bodice. The sleeves are short and very full. The lower edge of the sleeves are ruched just like the neckline. The bodice is fitted and fully lined. There are 12 bones in the bodice and it has a hook/eye closure at the center back. The matching skirt is a-lined; falling flat in the front, but gathered in the back, creating a slight bustle look. The skirt has a hook/eye closure and a very slight train. The gown has a wide material belt with a center back hook/eye closure. The back of the belt continues the ribbon theme, with long tails of cream moiré ribbon which matches the ribbon on the shoulders…What a dream to wear a dress like that! To look like a princess!" Mary Jane smiled, and fell back on the bed and sighed. "It's beautiful…"

"It really is a pretty dress, Mary Jane…." Her mother smiled.

"Look at this one, Ma! It think it's almost as pretty than the last one!" Mary Jane smiled. "Puffed sleeves…the ruching on the neckline like the other one….the wide white ribbon on the waistline….the long circular skirt with the small train…..it's so pretty! The fabric is heavy candlelight white silk. So delicate!...The bodice costs $17 and the skirt, $12….They're both so beautiful! What a dream!" She sighed happily. "I know….it's too expensive, but you know, it would've been nice."

"I really wish we could buy you a dress like that, Mary Jane." Melania said, the deep blue dress they were making for the wedding, laying on her lap. "I really do….I'm sorry, sweetheart." She started tearing up a little.

"Ma, don't cry…It's all right!" Mary Jane smiled, and went and hugged her mother. "The veil we bought, and the beautiful dress we're making will do just fine!"

"It seems silly….you wearing a veil…without the wedding dress."

"Ma…I'm fine with it. It's what we could do." Mary Jane smiled. "I know I'll still _feel_ like a princess…."

"It's just….you deserve a white wedding dress." Melania smiled at her 19 year old daughter. "You've made it….You're pure. You've made your father and I so proud of you!" She smiled and had tears in her eyes. "I know you deserve it!…..I just wish we had the money to do that for you….but we don't."

"Ma, I understand what you're saying…." Mary Jane looked at her mother. "In Biblical times and even now….the wedding veil represents virginity and modesty….." She began.

"So does the white wedding dress…." Melania said, interrupting her daughter.

"I don't need a white dress to let people know that….because I know I'm pure." Mary Jane smiled. "That's the important thing, right? That I've made it this far…and that I plan on making it to my wedding night with Sam…."

"Are you scared about that night?" Her mother asked.

"A little…but excited!" Mary Jane grinned. "I'll be giving something so special to the one man I love…..and that is my purity." She smiled and began to chuckle a little. "It's almost…unreal. I've waited and waited and waited to have sex….and in a few weeks…I'll finally be able to. I know all what you…do….you know." Mary Jane blushed a little. "Like I said, it's just unreal that I can finally do this."

"Don't get too excited, now." Melania laughed. "It's not your wedding night just yet, sweetheart."

"All right, Ma." Mary Jane chuckled.

(

The special day had finally come one Wednesday morning in early February. Sam was standing at the front of the church next to the Reverend in a white waistcoat. The bridesmaids wearing white dresses, provided by the groom's parents, as they were so kind and generous to do so….the groomsmen wearing gray waistcoats. The small bridal party made its way down the center aisle. The bridesmaids being escorted by the groomsmen, and Sam's little niece and nephew being the flower girl and the ring-bearer. The Groom's grandmother was seated, as well as the Bride's. And Sam's parents were also seated.

"Are you ready, Mary Jane?" Her mother asked, standing in a little room where her daughter was making last minute preparations on her appearance.

"Yes Ma…..Excited and nervous….but I'm ready." Mary Jane smiled, wiping tears that were already welling up in her brown eyes.

Melania smiled at her daughter, and smoothed a few wrinkles from the deep blue dress. A high neckline, tight bodice, the sleeves reaching to her wrists, loose at the hips and the hem reaching to her ankles. She wore an old pinned brooch belonging to her mother's mother, who they had learned had passed away a few months ago. Mary Jane wore silver hairpins in her hair, borrowed from her Aunt Frances. And a new garter her family was able to buy, and of course that was hidden. Melania even slipped the little silver sixpence in her daughter's black boot, to continue the little poem and tradition. "You look beautiful…." She smiled. "Married in blue….love will be true." Melania said one part of the old poem, when you had to choose the color of your wedding dress, as some didn't always wear white. "I know he will…Sam's a good man. He'll make a wonderful husband….."

Mary Jane smiled from ear to ear after hearing that. Melania adjusted her daughter's veil, and went through the church doors, walked down the little aisle with her escort, and to the front pew of the church.

"Ready?" George Jr. smiled at his daughter, lending his arm to her.

"Ready, Pa…." She smiled and an arm linked with her father, while holding her bouquet with the other.

George Jr. pushed back the church doors, and as the congregation rose to their feet, they slowly walked down the small center aisle. Tears were welling up in both of their eyes. He was so proud of his only daughter, finally making it to this day….And of course Mary Jane was crying because this was the happiest and one of most important days of her life. There was no way that tears could not be shed, no matter how hard they tried. They made it to the front of the church, and George Jr. gave his daughter away, embracing her, kissing her cheek and softly whispering "I love you." into her ear.

"I love you, too, Pa." She smiled, and yet could barely see because of the unshed tears of joy in her brown eyes.

The Rev. Weirich smiled, and began the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved: we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the presence of these witnesses, to join together this man and this woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that exists between Christ and his Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commended of Saint Paul to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly, but reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God.

Into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore, if any can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace."

No one spoke a single word, and so the minister spoke to the young couple.

"I require and charge you both, that if either of you know any impediment why you may not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, you do now confess it; for be ye well assured, that so many as are coupled together otherwise than God's word doth allow are not joined together by God, neither is their Matrimony lawful."

Neither of them spoke, and so the Reverend turned to the Groom.

"Samuel Aaron Zust, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health: and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will." He solemnly answered.

Reverend Weirich turned and spoke to the Bride.

"Mary Jane Gruber, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love, honor, and keep him, in sickness and in health: and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will." Mary Jane smiled.

"Now the Groom will take the Bride by her right hand, and repeat as I sayeth…."

"I, Samuel Aaron Zust…" The Reverend spoke.

"I, Samuel Aaron Zust…" Sam repeated.

"….take thee, Mary Jane Gruber to be my wedded wife, " The Reverend said.

"….take thee, Mary Jane Gruber to be my wedded wife, " He repeated, with a smile.

"….to have and to hold," The Reverend said, and Sam repeated.

"…from this day forward, " The Reverend said.

"…from this day forward, " He repeated.

"for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,"

"for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health," Sam solemnly repeated.

"… to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance: And thereto I plight thee my faith." The Reverend spoke, and Sam repeated each word.

"Then shall they loose their hands, and the Bride with her right hand taking the Groom by his right hand shall likewise say after me…" Rev. Weirich spoke.

"I, Mary Jane Gruber, take thee, Samuel Aaron Zust to be my wedded husband,"

"I, Mary Jane Gruber, take thee, Samuel Aaron Zust to be my wedded husband," Mary Jane smiled as she gazed into Sam's brown eyes, repeating each word after the Reverend.

"to have and to hold, from this day forward,"

"to have and to hold, from this day forward," She repeated.

"for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health," The Reverend spoke, and Mary Jane repeated him.

"to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance: and thereto I plight thee my faith."

"to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance: and thereto I plight thee my faith." Mary Jane smiled as she repeated the words.

Then, Rev. Weirich bowed his head and said a prayer….

"O eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life: send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name; that as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant between them made, and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws, through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen."_

"And now the Bride's ring, please…" He said, and the Groom gave the ring to the minister….after dropping it accidentally….which rose a little laughter from the crowd, including the bride and groom. Rev. Weirich gave the ring back to Sam, who placed in on Mary Jane's third finger on her left hand and spoke to her, after repeating the minister….

"With this ring I thee wed, and with my worldly goods I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. _Amen._"

"And now the Groom's ring…"

Mary Jane took her husband-to-be's ring in her hand, and placed the gold band on his ring finger on his left hand, repeating after the Reverend.

"With this ring I thee wed, and with my worldly goods I thee endow, " The Reverend spoke.

"With this ring I thee wed, and with my worldly goods I thee endow," She repeated.

" in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. _Amen._"

" in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. _Amen._" Mary Jane repeated.

The Reverend had the two join their right hands together and continued the ceremony with these words. "Forasmuch as Samuel Aaron Zust and Mary Jane Gruber have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have pledged their faith either to other, and have declared the same by joining of hands; I pronounce that they are husband and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. _Amen."_ The Reverend smiled as he spoke the next six words, "You may now kiss the bride…." One of the bridesmaids took the bouquet from the Bride and the Groom lifted her veil. The Reverend smiled as he saw this young man and young woman share their first kiss. It was Mary Jane's first kiss in her whole life…and she was glad that it was to this man.

Then the Minister added this blessing…

"_G_od the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord merciful with his favor look upon you, and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. _Amen."_

And Rev. Weirich finished with the following prayer….

"O God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless this man and this woman, and sow the seed of eternal life in their hearts, that whatsoever in thy holy word they shall profitably learn, they may indeed fulfill the same. Look, O Lord, mercifully on them from heaven, and bless them: as thou didst send thy blessings upon Abraham and Sarah to their great comfort, so vouchsafe to send thy blessings upon this man and this woman, that they, obeying thy will, and always being in safety under thy protection, may abide in thy love unto their lives' end, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty God, who at the beginning didst create our first parents, Adam and Eve, and didst sanctify and join them together in marriage, pour upon these persons the riches of thy grace, sanctify and bless them, that they may please thee both in body and soul, and live together in holy love unto their lives' end. _Amen."_

At last the Reverend spoke. "Might I now present to you,…Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Zust."

**A/N: This particular wedding ceremony was from the year 1899...and well, the wedding in this story takes place in 1895, so yeah, I was a little off...but how much could it have changed in a span of four years?**

**I made up Sam's full name. I like the sound of the name...To be honest, I'm not even sure if Sam was his name! It was either Paul, Bob, or Sam...I already had a Paul or two as a character, and Bob...its just weird. lol. (No offence to any Bob's out there. lol.)**


	56. Chapter 56

"Okay! Everyone ready?" Melania smiled, ushering some little girls along with the other young women. "Mary Jane's gonna throw the bouquet!" She exclaimed, rushing out of the way. "Okay Mary Jane…on the count of three 1….2…3!"

Mary Jane smiled and tossed the bouquet of flowers over her shoulder, and spun around to see the young women and girls trying to catch it! It was quite a sight!

"I caught it!...I caught it! I caught the bouquet!...Mama, Papa! I caught the bouquet!" Helen squealed, running over to her parents, and her father picked the 7 year old up in his arms.

"Great job!" Fred smiled at his daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He put her down and she grasped his strong arm in her hands.

"Moanie…do you know what this means?" Her grandpa, George Gruber Sr. smiled.

The seven year old shook her little head.

"Why, you're the next one to get married!" He chuckled.

Helen laughed and shook her head. "Grandpa, why do you call me Moanie?"

George Sr. got down on his knees in front of his granddaughter. "Well, I think it is a cute little nickname…and I have a cute little granddaughter!" He smiled, running a hand over her blond hair.

Helen hugged her grandfather and giggled. "I think it's a little silly, Grandpa…." And she ran off to play with some other little girls.

"Helen, come back here and apologize!" Frances called to her daughter…."I'm sorry she said that to you, Pa."

"Oh, she is just fine!"

"No she's not!" Frances said, shaking her head. "I'm really sorry….Helen's been saying things to people without thinking first…..A lot lately."

"Franziska Catherine…." He said softly and put his hands on her shoulders. "She's fine…." Big George said, kissing his daughter on the cheek. "It did not hurt me…if she wants to think it is silly, let her!"

"She's just a little girl, Frances…." Fred smiled, wrapping an arm around her.

"Yes, but she shouldn't say hurtful things to people….Especially her Grandpa." Frances said. "It was the way she said it…"

"I said it didn't hurt me…."

"Listen to your Pa." Fred grinned, and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Well, all right…." Frances smiled.

Helen came running up to them. "Grandpa, you said I'm the next one to get married?" She grinned.

"Yes Moanie, that's what I said." He chuckled.

"I'm gonna marry Leo…" Helen grinned giddily up at them.

"The Lansing boy, eh?" Fred chuckled, looking off at the other side of the churchyard at the dark-haired boy, just seventeen years of age. "Does he know that, Helen?…."

"No….." She said, shaking her head.

"Don't you think he should have a say in this too, kiddo?" Fred chuckled. "I think you just like him…." He grinned.

"Isn't he so very handsome, Papa?"

"Whatever you say, Helen…" He chuckled. "Why don't you go play, sweetie?" Fred said, and patted her little back, and she ran off. "Only seven years old and she's already chasing after the boys." He chuckled. "Better watch her."

"It's just a little crush, honey…." Frances looked at him and chuckled. "Oh look!….Sam and Mary Jane are about to cut their wedding cake." Frances smiled. "How sweet…." She said as they walked over to where people were standing to watch the couple.

"I don't know if I exactly trust myself with a knife!" Mary Jane whispered at her new husband and giggled.

"I'll help you, don't worry…." Sam grinned and placed a hand over her small one and they cut their wedding cake. They both cut off a little piece off of the piece they had cut. He took his little piece, as did she, and they fed each other.

"You have a little frosting on your lip…" He whispered, chuckling.

"Sorry, I'll get it…." She giggled, reaching for her mouth with a napkin.

"Wait now,….I will." Sam smiled, and they heard a little bell ringing. Instead of having people throw rice, they had given them little bells to ring….When they heard them ringing, the tradition was for the couple to kiss each other…..Sam leaned in and kissed her.

"Sweetheart, now you have frosting on your lip!" Mary Jane giggled, dabbing at his mouth with a little napkin. And then she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Bell or no bell ringing!

"Hey, shouldn't you kids be getting off to your honeymoon?" Sam's uncle called out. "Or are you gonna stay here all evening?" He laughed. It was getting close to 6.

"Where y'all going anyway?" Another man asked.

"Sorry, can't say! " Sam laughed. "The only folks that know are my parents, Mary's Jane's…. myself and the best man…"

"I'm sworn to secrecy!" The best man, the groom's brother, David laughed.

"Well….to the honeymoon!" Sam laughed, and scooped Mary Jane up in his arms, and ran over to his buckboard.

"Sam, put me down!" She laughed, and couldn't stop laughing on his way over. "Put me down!...Samuel Aaron!" Mary Jane laughed, and then he kissed her again and lifted her up into the back of the buckboard and with the best man at the reins, they drove off.

Sam kissed her, and they soon began a little kissing session. They couldn't keep their hands off of each other! Mary Jane was loving how it felt! Sure, a few hours ago, she barely knew the first thing about kissing, but oh….was she learning!

David looked back at the two now and then….."Hey, you two! Come up for air sometime!" He laughed and saw they had stopped and Mary Jane's cheeks turned a lovely shade of red. "Oh, I'm just kidding y'all!...You two deserve to be all over each other!...Go ahead!" David chuckled, and saw that they had continued.

"So, where are we going Sam?" Mary Jane whispered in between kisses.

"Don't you want to be surprised?" He whispered.

"Yes and no…" She giggled, and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Will you tell me?" She smiled up at him, with her hands on his face.

"Mrs. Matthews' Boarding House….We'll have a light supper with her. Talk a little maybe,….and then go up to our room…." He whispered and kissed her again.

"That sounds great…." Mary Jane smiled.

"You don't think it's too simple? I want us to have a relaxing night….but not boring, of course." Sam chuckled.

"It's not too simple…." She whispered, kissing him again.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll have a time tonight….." David spoke up and chuckled a little. "It won't be boring…." He said, looking back at the newlyweds, still doing what they were before. "Sorry to stop you two…for now. But, we're here. The Fenelon Place Elevator….We're taking the long way there. Didn't think y'all would mind." He said as they were all getting into the little cable car contraption. Sam sat on the end seat nearest to the window so they could see while going down to the bottom on the little track, Mary Jane sat on his lap and they enjoyed the view. David, however, sat farthest from the front of the cable car. He didn't like the looking downward while they were moving. "Please don't snap while we're in here!" He kept chanting and looked down and saw the little railroad tracks before them and the ground at the end. He quickly looked away and looked at the window and saw the little building, inching farther and farther away.

"David, calm down!" Mary Jane chuckled. "You're all right!"

"Get me out of this thing!...Get me out of this thing!" David almost yelled. "It's crashed before! And I don't want to be in it if it does it again!"

"That was two years ago!...Dave, calm down, it ain't that bad! Besides, we're almost at the bottom!" Sam laughed.

"Thank the Lord for that!" David exclaimed and got out as soon as they reached the bottom. He went straight to the buckboard someone had brought down for them and calmed himself while his brother paid the four cents for the ride down.

"Hope you newlyweds enjoyed the ride." The man said. "Congratulations, by the way."

"Yes sir. We did." Sam smiled, shaking his hand. "And thank you."

They got back into the buckboard and David drove them to 428 Iowa Street. David went his way home, and Sam and Mary Jane went in and had supper with Mrs. Matthews.

"I'm almost ready, you two." Mrs. Matthews said, putting up her last year's cookbook away and was getting the table ready.

"Here, I'll help you, Mrs. Matthews…" Mary Jane said, and started placing bowls and other utensils on the table.

"No, now you just sit down…You relax, young one. I've got it covered." She chuckled. "You and your new husband better sit down at that table!" She said pointing a spoon at them and laughed a little.

"Yes ma'am…" Mary Jane chuckled. And so they both took a seat at the table. Mrs. Matthews served them and the three of them ate and talked awhile.

"I hope you enjoyed the soup…I always like a nice warm, potato soup on a chilly February evening like tonight."

"Oh, it was wonderful, Mrs. Matthews." Mary Jane smiled.

"It was terrific!….We'd like to go up to our room for the night, if you'll excuse us." Sam said.

"Isn't someone eager?" She teased. "As well you should be….Have a good night you two."

"Thank you, Mrs. Matthews." Mary Jane smiled.

"I put some extra towels up in your room….I'm sure you'll be needing them tonight." Mrs. Matthews whispered.

"Thanks…" Mary Jane blushed a little. She had done some reading beforehand on what to expect….Sex was messy….she might bleed…and it could be painful for her. She was only a little afraid, but she thought she shouldn't let those might be's and could be's and her own fear bother her.

"Don't forget to carry her across the threshold Sam!" They heard the middle-aged lady say as they headed upstairs.

Sam grinned and picked Mary Jane up in his arms, one arm on her back, and the other under her legs, opened the door of their room and stepped inside. He started kissing her again, and gently placed her on the bed, and then turned and lit a lamp that on a dresser next to the bed. He took off her wedding veil and put it away carefully and went back to kissing her again. A hand reached to her hair and she helped him undo her hair from the silver pins, and let her brown hair fall to her shoulders.

"You're strikingly beautiful…" He whispered as he ran his fingers through her hair all the way to the tips. He caressed her cheek with his hand and kissed her again.

"Should we get….undressed yet?" She whispered, a little nervously.

"I'll…I'll help you…" Sam said. And she turned her back to him as he started unbuttoning her blue dress, exposing her underclothing. She took off the dress and hung it up, now dressed in her corset, chemise and petticoats. Mary Jane turned around and saw that her new husband took off his waistcoat and outer-shirt and was dressed in his undershirt and slacks. She sat back down on the bed and began kissing him again.

"Do…Do you want to,…I mean, we're not too tired tonight, right?" Sam smiled and breathed out as he was nervous. "If you want to just get ready for bed and sleep tonight, that's…"

"Sam…" Mary Jane whispered and kissed him again and made him fall back on the bed gently and kept kissing his lips and face.

"Is that a yes?" He whispered.

"Mhhmm…" She breathed.

"You're ready?" He asked.

"I've waited for so long for this." She whispered. "How could I not be?"

"Well,…okay." He said nervously and started to take off her under-clothing and she reached over and began to take off his white undershirt. He slipped her petticoats off and tossed them to the floor. She wrapped her arms around him as she was kissing him, and he was trying to take off her corset. Sam was getting a little distracted as he was exposed to seeing this much skin from her. No cleavage he saw yet, just her collar-bone and below it, and the little lace part of her undershirt. She took off her corset as it was looser now, and slid off her bloomers and camisole she was wearing, and sat in front of him naked. Sam was so engrossed in his looking at her that it made Mary Jane blush a little. He was gazing at her breasts, and her small torso. He spied freckles spread out here and there on her shoulders, one by her left breast, and a few on her stomach and near her navel. He thought she was beautiful …that those tiny little freckles added to her beauty in some way. Nevertheless, Sam enjoyed how she looked. Mary Jane laid down across the bed in front of him, and Sam rested a hand down below and saw she was a little wet. Mary Jane sat back up and wrapped her arms around his strong back and began kissing him again and made her way down his chest and his slight abs. She played a little with brown hair on his chest, running a palm on it and back up to his face and kissed him again, poking her tongue slightly into his mouth and against his own tongue. Mary Jane ran her hands up and down his tanned back as he was leaning forward so she leaned back on the bed, his hand resting still where it had been. He rubbed it slightly and it made her more aroused as he got on top of her and kissed her. He kissed her lips and moved down her body and stopped for a moment at her slit. Nervousness built up inside him, but he pushed apart her lips and climbed on top of her again.

"Sam…" Mary Jane whispered. "Aren't you forgetting to….to do something." She said, almost giggling.

"What?" He asked, supporting himself above her by his arms.

"Your slacks…." She giggled.

Sam looked down and saw his gray slacks. He was still wearing them! He was so nervous, he forgot to take them off! "Oops!" He chuckled. Sam stood up and undid them, let them fall to the floor and he stepped out of them, sporting his erection. Mary Jane couldn't take her brown eyes off of it.

"Sam….." She whispered. "Your….is that going to?..." She stammered. "Will it fit?" Mary Jane sheepishly asked. Sam was rather….blessed, you could say. About seven, eight inches long, veins almost seeming to pop….Mary Jane still couldn't stop staring! Yet, she liked what she was seeing….a lot. She felt wetness return again between her legs. Her breathing had quickened.

"You're sure you want to…" He began.

"Oh yes…." Mary Jane said, nodding her head.

"All right…" He whispered, slipped on a piece of animal skin, and got back on the bed and on top of her. Mary Jane laid down on a towel on the bed, and helped him a little by parting her slit. Sam aimed himself at her entrance and began to push through.

"Ah!...Sam, that hurts…" Mary Jane winced.

"How bad?" He whispered.

"Not too bad…just some pain." She said.

"We can stop…." He said quietly.

"No…" Mary Jane shook her head. "We've gone so far now. Just hold me…and go a little slower."

"All right…" He grinned and started kissing her and held her in his arms. After a few fumbling, clumsy attempts which made them both laugh, he started again, and pushed through all the way this time.

"Ah!...Aha...ouch!" She yiped a little and tears came out of her eyes this time.

"Are you all right, Mary Jane?" Sam whispered.

"That just really,...really hurt." She breathed. "And I'm bleeding now...At least we know you broke through!" Mary Jane laughed a little and took the towel and wiped up the amount of blood between her legs. "Please...Hold me, Sam." She whispered, and buried her face in his chest and felt his strong arms around her. They kissed again a few more times and held each other.

"You okay?" Sam whispered.

"I'm fine…Let's go on."

And so he did and began sliding in and out of her, the wetness she had making it quite easy now. She had her arms wrapped around him and rested on his back. Sam kept kissing her lips and face. Mary Jane felt his hands run over her breasts and around to her back and soon felt him touch her backside. They had been having sex for about five, ten minutes or so when he stopped and pulled out of her.

"I cummed too early…" Sam muttered.

"I was just starting to enjoy myself…." She said, disappointed.

"I'm sorry…." He whispered, and gave her another passionate kiss and gazed into her brown eyes a moment.

"Should we get ready for bed now?" Mary Jane whispered.

"Sure…" He nodded, even though he wanted to do more...to do all sorts of different things with her, the woman he loved. Yet, he knew they both were tired and he didn't want so many things thrown at her in one night, he agreed. So, as she got dressed in her nightgown, he took off the animal skin condom and took a towel and cleaned himself off and got dressed in his nightshirt. Sam joined her in the bed together.

"The wedding so beautiful, Sam…" Mary Jane whispered wrapping her arms around him.

"You're so beautiful." He smiled and kissed her. "When I saw you coming down the aisle, I thought my heart stopped."

"Thank you…" She smiled. "I could've died when you dropped my ring!" Mary Jane said, her head resting on his chest.

"Sorry…."

"I meant died laughing!" She giggled.

"It was funny, wasn't it…." Sam chuckled. "Tonight was…" He began.

"Different…but a good different." Mary Jane said softly. "I'm…I'm no longer a virgin." She smiled a little. "And I'm glad I lost it to you. I'm glad that you're my first. My one and only."

"And I'm glad you were mine…" He whispered. "I'm glad I married you today." He smiled.

"I almost thought I lost you, Sam…when you moved away." She whispered. "And all this time…"

"I was planning on a way to propose." Sam said. "Finally, I thought, 'To heck with planning! The next time I'm in Dubuque, I'll ask her!'" He chuckled a little.

"I love you, Sam." Mary Jane whispered.

"I love you too...Goodnight."

"Goodnight...husband." Mary Jane smiled. It felt wonderful to say. Soon, she felt herself closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep, lyiing beside him.

**A/N: George Gruber Sr. called his granddaughter Helen, "Moanie" Strange nickname, huh? Lol.**

**The Fenelon Place Elevator is now call the 4****th**** Street Elevator. It was first operated on July 25****th****, 1882. It was originally made for Mr. J. K. Graves, a former mayor, former State Senator, also promoter of mines and a banker lived on top of the bluffs and worked at the bottom. Unfortunately, he had to spend half an hour driving his horse and buggy round the bluff to get to the top and another half an hour to return downtown, even though his bank was only two and a half blocks away. After it was first operated**, **he had his gardener let him down in the morning, bring him up at noon, down after dinner and nap, and up again at the end of the work day. Before long, the neighbors began meeting him at the elevator asking for rides.**

**The Fenelon Place Elevator had a serious of fires, the first started on July 19, 1884 when the fire that was banked in the stove for the night was blown alive. After Mr. Graves rebuilt the elevator, he remembered how his neighbors showed up when he used the cable car and he decided to open it to the public. He charged five cents a ride**.**, the second in the year 1893 but because of a recession he could not afford to rebuild, but ten neighbors formed together and formed the Fenelon Street Elevator Company and Mr. Graves gave them the franchise of the right of way of the track. They attended the 1893 Colombian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, to look for new ideas. They brought back a streetcar motor to run the elevator, the turnstile, and steel cable for the cars. They had remembered that each time the elevator house burned, the fire also burned through the hemp rope that held the car and sent it crashing down the hill destroying it and the little house at the bottom. Then they in-stalled three rails with a fourth bypass in the middle to allow for the operation of two (funicular) counterbalanced cars. ****There was another fire in 1962. That time an electrical fire between the ceiling of the operator's room and the apartment upstairs brought the realization that the price had to go up. And it did to ten cents a ride. **

**In 1977, the cable cars were completely rebuilt. After 84 years the original gear drive was re-placed by a modern gear box with a DC motor. The Sylvester Stallone movie, F.I.S.T. included a scene that was filmed at the elevator.**

**Interesting little fact, but yes, condoms were made out of animal skin…animal intestine, and by 1844, when Charles Goodyear patented the vulcanization of rubber,….Want to learn more? Look it up yourselves, people. Lol.**


	57. Chapter 57

Mary Jane awoke the next morning to feeling her face and hair being stroked. Her eyes opened and she rolled over.

"Good morning,….sleepyhead." He chuckled a little. "Do you always sleep in late?"

"I'm sorry…" She smiled a little. "With all the excitement from yesterday….made me exhausted."

"That's okay…I was tired, myself." Sam smiled. "Sorry last night was painful for you…."

"It's all right….I knew it would happen." She said, holding herself up by her arms. "I'm all right now." Mary Jane smiled.

"Well, I'm glad." Sam smiled. "Are you going to stay in bed all day, huh?"

"Maybe….and…maybe not." She flashed a suggestive look at him and laid back down against the pillows.

"If so….may I join you?" He grinned.

Mary Jane shook her head and laughed at the disappointed look he gave her. She got up out of bed and went to him. Her lips parted as they welcomed his own. "You can join me….elsewhere." She whispered, and turned around so she could get her clothes ready for the day.

"Sweetheart…."

"What Sam?" Mary Jane looked at him.

He walked over to her and put his hands on her waist. "I think you still bled more from last night, there's a stain on the back of your nightgown."

"There is?" She asked, checking behind her. Sure enough, there was.

"Pushed you too hard last night…." He muttered. "I wanted you…..too much. We should've both just went to bed and did it in the morning. I'm sorry."

"Sam….I didn't protest one bit last night! The blood and the pain were expected. It's just what happens!"

"That's what hurts me…I caused you pain…."

"It won't be like that always….we'll have plenty of practice!" Mary Jane grinned at him. She shed herself of her nightgown and took both of his hands…"C'mere!"

"What?" He asked, but then his lips turned upward in a sneaky grin.

"Just come here!…" She laughed and stopped beside the white cast iron clawfoot slipper bath tub and placed his arms around her naked body. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and kissed him on the lips, gently sucking on his bottom lip and pulling away slowly. A few buckets of warm water were sitting on the Franklin stove, used to heat the room. She filled the bath tub with the warm water and grabbed a bar of soap and gave it to him. Mary Jane unbuttoned his shirt and undid his trousers he was wearing and led him to the little bath tub.

"You…Me….Small space." Sam grinned. "I'm liking this already!" He said, stepping out of his underclothing and into the little bath tub.

"I thought so." Mary Jane laughed, joining him. "And what better way to explore each other's bodies?…"

"Good idea, Mary Jane Gruber Zust…" Sam grinned at her. Mary Jane beamed back. It was interesting to hear her maiden name and her new last name together for the first time.

Mary Jane closed her eyes as he made the soap into a gentle lather and began rubbing it on her body. She loved that she could finally and freely, feel his touch. There was no worry…no fear. She had no regrets. She was beginning to love this time with him, and knew there would be many more.

(

Eleven year old Freddy Lay was sitting on the little couch in the parlor reading the new book his grandfather gave him, "With Trapper Jim in the North Woods."

"_CHAPTER I._

_WHAT LUCK DID FOR THE CHUMS._

_"It was a long trip, fellows, but we're here at last, thank goodness!"_

_"Yes, away up in the North Woods, at the hunting lodge of Trapper Jim!"_

_"Say, it's hard to believe, and that's a fact. What do you say about it,_

_you old stutterer, Toby Jucklin?"_

_"B-b-bully!" exploded the boy, whose broad shoulders, encased in a blue_

_flannel shirt, had been pounded when this question was put directly at_

_him._

_There were five of them, half-grown boys all, lounging about in the most_

_comfortable fashion they could imagine in the log cabin which Old Jim_

_Ruggles occupied every fall and winter._

_"Trapper Jim" they called him, and these boys from Carson had long been_

_yearning to accept the hearty invitation given to spend a week or two_

_with the veteran woodsman. A year or so back, Jim had dropped down to see_

_his brother Alfred, who was a retired lawyer living in their home town._

_And it was at this time they first found themselves drawn toward Jim_

_Ruggles._

_When he heard of several little camping experiences which had befallen_

_Toby Jucklin and his chums, the trapper had struck up a warm friendship_

_with the boy who seemed to be the natural leader of the lot, Max_

_Hastings._

_Well, they had been writing back and forth this long time. Eagerly had_

_the boys planned a visit to the North Woods, and bent all their energies_

_toward accomplishing that result._

_And now, at last, they found themselves under the shelter of the roof_

_that topped Old Jim's cabin. Their dreams had come true, so that several_

_weeks of delightful experiences in the great Northern forest lay before_

_them._

_Besides Toby Jucklin, who stuttered violently at times, and Max Hastings,_

_who had had considerable previous experience in outdoor life, there were_

_Steve Dowdy, whose quick temper and readiness to act without considering_

_the consequences had long since gained him the name of "Touch-and-Go_

_Steve"; Owen Hastings, a cousin to Max, and who, being a great reader,_

_knew more or less about the theory of things; and last, but not least, a_

_boy who went by the singular name of "Bandy-legs" Griffin._

_At home and in school they called him Clarence; but his comrades, just as_

_all boys will do, early in his life seized upon the fact of his lower_

_limbs being unusually short to dub him "Bandy-legs."_

_Strange to say, the Griffin lad never seemed to show the least resentment_

_in connection with this queer nickname. If the truth were told, he really_

_preferred having it, spoken by boyish lips, than to receive that detested_

_name of Clarence._

_These five boys had come together with the idea of having a good time in_

_the great outdoors during vacation days._

_And Fortune had been very kind to them right in the start. Although Max_

_always declared that it was some remark of his cousin that put him on the_

_track, and Owen on his part vowed that the glory must rest with Max_

_alone, still the fact remained that once the idea popped up it was_

_eagerly seized upon by both boys._

_They needed more or less cash with which to purchase tents, guns, and_

_such other things as appeal to boys who yearn to camp out, fish, hunt,_

_and enjoy the experiences of outdoor life._

_As the Glorious Fourth had exhausted their savings banks, this bright_

_idea was hailed with more or less glee by the other three members of the_

_club._

_It was not an original plan, but that mattered nothing. Success was what_

_they sought, and to attain it the boys were quite willing to follow any_

_old beaten path._

_An account of valuable pearls being found in mussels that were picked up_

_along certain streams located in Indiana, Arkansas, and other states,_

_suggested the possibility of like treasures near at home._

_Now, Carson, their native town, lay upon the Evergreen River; and this_

_stream had two branches, called the Big Sunflower and the Elder. The boys_

_knew that there were hundreds of mussels to be found up the former_

_stream. They had seen the shells left by hungry muskrats, and even_

_gathered a few to admire the rainbow-hued inside coating, which Owen told_

_them was used in the manufacture of pearl buttons._

_But up to that time no one apparently had dreamed that there might be a_

_snug little fortune awaiting the party who just started in to gather the_

_mussels along the Big Sunflower._

_This Max and his chums had done. Their success had created quite an_

_excitement around Carson._

_When it was learned what was going on, farm hands deserted their daily_

_tasks; boys quit loafing away the vacation days, and even some of those_

_who toiled in the factories were missing from their looms._

_Everybody hunted for pearls. The little Big Sunflower never saw such_

_goings on. They combed its waters over every rod of the whole mile where_

_the fresh-water clams seemed to exist._

_When the furor was over, and there were hardly half a hundred wretched_

_mussels left in the waters that had once upon a time fairly teemed with_

_them, the results were very disappointing._

_Two or three small pearls had been found, it is true, but the majority of_

_the seekers had to be satisfied with steamed mussels, or fresh-water clam_

_chowder, as a reward for their hard work._

_The wide-awake boys who first conceived the idea had taken the cream of_

_the pickings. And from a portion of the money secured through the sale of_

_these beautiful pearls they had purchased everything needed to fill the_

_heart of a camper with delight._

_Here, as the afternoon sun headed down toward the western horizon, the_

_boys, having arrived by way of a buckboard wagon at noon, were looking_

_into the flames of Trapper Jim's big fire in the log cabin, and mentally_

_shaking hands with each other in mutual congratulation over their good_

_fortune._

_There was a decided tang of frost in the air, which told that the summer_

_season was gone and early fall arrived._

_It might seem strange that these boys, who in October might be expected_

_to be deep in the fall school term, should be away from home and up in_

_the wilderness._

_That was where Good Luck remembered them again, and the explanation is_

_simple enough._

_Even in the well-managed town of Carson, school directors sometimes_

_neglected their work. And in this year, when the vacation period was_

_three quarters over, the discovery was made that the big building was in_

_such a bad condition that certain extensive repairs would have to be_

_made._

_In consequence, greatly to the delight of the older scholars, it was_

_decided that school for them could not take up until the middle of_

_November._

_As soon as Max learned of this delightful fact he knew the time had come_

_for their long-promised visit to Trapper Jim._

_They had been tempted to go during the summer months, but as there was_

_little to do in the woods at that period of the year save fishing, the_

_boys had been holding off._

_Now they could expect to use their guns; to see how Jim set his cunning_

_traps that netted him such rich rewards each winter season, and to enjoy_

_to the full that most glorious time of the whole year in the woods, the_

_autumn season, when the leaves are colored by the early frosts and the_

_first ice forms on the shores of the little trout streams._

_As the afternoon passed they recovered from the effects of the long_

_railroad journey overnight and the joggling buckboard experience. A_

_thousand questions had been fired at Jim, who was a good-humored old_

_fellow with a great love for boys in his heart._

_"Take things kind of easy to-day, boys," he kept on saying, when they_

_wanted to know why he didn't get busy and show them all the wonderful_

_things he had in store for his lively young visitors. "I want you to rest_

_up and be in good trim for tomorrow. Plenty of time to begin work then._

_Knock around and see what it looks like where Old Jim has had his hunting_

_lodge this seven years back."_

_So they did busy themselves prying into things. And between that hour and_

_dark there were very few spots around the immediate neighborhood that_

_they had not examined._

_Jim's stock of well-kept Victor steel traps were commented on, and_

_stories listened to in connection with this one or that. No wonder the_

_hunting instinct in the lads was pretty well aroused by the time they had_

_heard some of these stirring accounts._

_"If the whole bunch of traps could only talk, now," declared Owen, as he_

_handled a big one meant for bear, "wouldn't they make the shivers run up_

_and down our backbones, though?"_

_Trapper Jim only smiled._

_He had a thousand things to tell the boys, but, of course, he did not_

_want to exhaust the subject in the beginning. By degrees they should hear_

_all about his many adventures. It would be his daily pleasures_

_to thrill his boy visitors with these truthful stories as they gathered_

_each night around the roaring fire and rested after the day's work._

_The shades of night, their very first night in those wonderful North_

_Woods of which they had dreamed so long, were fast gathering now._

_Already the shadows had issued forth from their hiding places, and the_

_woods began to assume a certain gloomy look._

_Later on, the moon, being just past the full, would rise above the top of_

_the distant hills toward the east. Then the woods might not seem so_

_strangely mysterious._

_"When you're ready to begin getting supper, Uncle Jim," said Max, "you_

_must let us lend a hand. We don't know it all by a long sight, but we can_

_cook some, and eat-wait till you see Steve begin, and Toby-Why, hello,_

_here we've been chattering away like a flock of crows and never noticed_

_that our chum Toby was missing all the while!"_

_"Missing!" echoed Steve, jumping up eagerly at the prospect of their_

_first adventure coming along; and no doubt already picturing all of them_

_stalking through the big timber, lanterns and torches in hand, searching_

_for the absent chum._

_"Who saw him last?" asked Max._

_"Why, a little before dark," Owen answered, promptly, "I noticed him_

_prowling around out among the trees. He called out that a cottontail_

_rabbit had jumped up and was just daring him to chase after her."_

_"Looks like he accepted the dare, all right," said Bandy-legs._

_"Where's a lantern? I choose a lantern. You other fellows can carry the_

_torches, because I got burned the last time I tried that game."_

_Steve was already beginning to hunt around as he talked, when Trapper_

_Jim, who had meanwhile gone and opened the door of the cabin, called to_

_them to be still._

_"I thought I heard him right then," he said, "and it sounded to me like_

_he was calling for help. Get both those lanterns, boys, and light 'em._

_We've got to look into this thing right away."_

_CHAPTER II._

_HOW POOR TOBY WAS "RESCUED."_

_Of course the greatest excitement followed this announcement on the part_

_of the old trapper._

_Steve darted this way and that, fairly wild to do something; and_

_Bandy-legs, too, showed himself anxious to help. But, as usual, it was_

_cool Max, assisted by Owen, who managed to light the two lanterns._

_Steve pounced on the first one that was ready, true to his word…"_

"Freddy, put that book down. It's time for supper."

"Aw Mama! I was just gettin' into chapter two! Can't I read just a bit more? It's gettin' interetin'! Somethin's happened to that kid, Toby! I wanna find out!"

"Freddy…." Frances spoke his name in a warning tone, with her arms crossed against her chest.

"Yes Ma'am…." He said, placing a little folded piece of paper inside the book and got up.

"Have you finished your homework yet?"

"Yes."

"Your chores?" She asked.

"Yes Mama." Freddy answered.

"All right then. You can read a little more after supper…."

"Speakin' of which….What are we havin'? I'm real hungry!"

"Sometimes I feel you're always hungry!" Frances laughed, placing her hands on his shoulders and then rubbed his back. "We're having coon and kraut…."

"Raccoon and sauerkraut! With the sliced apples n' onions again?"

"You bet!" Frances smiled.

"Oh boy!" He said running into the kitchen and sat down next to his nine year old little sister. Their father wasn't home yet, so Freddy prayed and then they began eating.

"The book Grandpa gave me is getting real interesting!"

"Yes, you told me that, Freddy…" Frances smiled.

"Well, it is!…I like it that it's about trapping and hunting and stuff like that. Adventure!"

"It is not interesting." Helen said. "I think it's stupid! I read two pages and I got bored with it."

"That's 'cause you only read two single pages, silly." Freddy said slyly, his jaw jutting out to the side.

"Yeah, and you look silly when you jut your jaw out like that….Moosejaw!"

"Don't call me that!" Freddy whined.

"Moosejaw!"

"You call me that again and…I'll…I'll tell the Lansing boy the time you ran around stark naked at the church ice cream social!" Freddy threatened.

"I was two!...And you better not tell him that!" The nine year old shouted.

"Why do you like him?...I hear he's courtin' that Wernke girl anyway!"

"Children, enough bickering!...Eat your supper!" Frances said sternly.

"Yes Mama." Freddy said. He took a bite of his supper. "The apples are really good!"

"Thank you, sweetheart…..Your sister helped me dice them."

"Oh…." He said, stuffing more into his mouth. "Nice…I guess." Freddy muttered, to which nine year old Helen stuck her tongue out at her older brother.

"Evening everybody!" Fred said, walking through the back door.

"Hey Papa!" Freddy smiled.

"Hello!..." He grinned, ruffling the boy's auburn hair and gave Helen a kiss on the cheek. "Supper smells great! Coon n' kraut! My new favorite meal!...With apples and onions?" Fred smiled, turning his head up at his wife.

Frances chuckled. "Like father like son….Freddy asked me the same thing earlier…Yes, with apples and onions!" She chuckled.

"Speaking of apples….I've got something out in the summer kitchen." Fred smiled. "Go take a look…"

"Well, all right…." Frances smiled, wondering what it was he had….and so she stepped out into the summer kitchen.

"A wooden barrel…" She chuckled.

"Thought it would be good to keep those apples in….instead of that old one you have." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You made this?" She smiled at him.

"Well, yeah…." He grinned.

"Thank you, honey….I really like it." Frances smiled, and gave him a peck on the lips. "I was just…using what I had…." She smiled. "Thank you for going through this much trouble to make a new one….You're wonderful, you know that?" She smiled at him.

"Nah, you are." He grinned, and picked up the barrel and put it inside. "You deserve it."

"Well, thank you." She smiled.

"Nice barrel, Papa." Freddy spoke up.

"Thanks….Help me carry down to the cellar, will ya?"

"Sure, Papa…" Freddy said, bolting up from his seat and grabbed the bottom of the barrel and started going down the stairs to the cellar.

"You guys be careful! I'd hate to have you fall on those stairs!" Frances said, standing at the top of the stairs, watching them make their way down into the room with the limestone walls and floor.

"We've got it honey, don't worry." Fred chuckled.

"Yeah, Mama! We're real strong!"

Frances stifled a small laugh at her eleven year old son. "Well, my strong men better get that done so they can eat their supper."

"Yeah, Mama!" She heard him call.

"We'll just set it next to my shelves there, Freddy….That'll do."

"Okay, Papa…." Freddy grunted, getting a better grip on the barrel and walked to the back of the room where there were all sorts of tin shelves up on the back wall. Fred kept his tools and things there. There also was a few round, tin bath tubs in the middle of the room, where Frances would wash the clothes in the wintertime.

"Good job, son…" Fred said, patting him on the back. "Now c'mon, let's get upstairs and eat. I'm starving!"

"Me too!" Freddy said, and ran upstairs.

Fred chuckled and trudged his way up the stairs, and sat down at the table.

"You know I'll need your help tomorrow, kids…" Frances said. "Nona's bringing Fran and Snooky over, while she and Joe visit with her parents out of town…."

"Aw Mama! Do I gotta help?" Freddy whined a little.

"I hope you will, Freddy…." She told him.

"But I don't wanna watch some little girls!...I get enough of Helen now!"

"Hey!" Helen shouted.

"Freddy…." His father said in a stern manner.

"I wanted to go deer huntin' tomorrow." Freddy said, pressing a hand against his cheek.

"Maybe you can for a while…" Frances said. "But I do need you and your sister's help tomorrow…I'm going to do some mending….and sewing needles and two month olds don't mix." She laughed a little. "I can't look after her and do the mending both at once!"

"Do I gotta watch Snooky the whole time?"

"No, of course not." She said. "But if you two will keep an eye on little Fran."

"All right." Freddy mumbled. He wasn't so fond of the idea of having to watch his three year old and two month old cousins. "I still wanna go hunting."

Frances sighed. "I promise you…you will."

"Okay…" Freddy mumbled.

Fred laughed a little.

"What?" His wife asked him.

"What a nickname! "Snooky" How you get "Snooky" out of Leonona….I'll never know." Fred joked.

"It's a popular pet name in Germany, honey." Frances smiled.

"I knew that." He laughed. "Just, why "Snooky?"

"Who knows how children get their nicknames?" Frances said. "I think Joe just liked it."

"Yeah, like that one black boy's nickname is "Chocolate Baby" Freddy exclaimed with a laugh. "What a nickname!"

"Freddy, I wish you wouldn't call the boy that...Its sounds racist."

"Oh Mama, I wasn't callin' him that! Besides, he likes being called 'Chocolate Baby'!"

"Uh huh..." She said, in an, 'I don't think so' tone.

"Or what about my nickname?" Helen said, changing the subject. "Why would Grandpa pick a nickname for me like, 'Moanie'?"

"Maybe 'cause you moan and complain all the time!" Freddy said.

"Shut up!" Helen shouted at her brother. "More like you do!"

"I do not!"

"Yes, you do!" Helen shouted.

"Children! That's enough yelling at each other!...Eat your supper!"

"Yes Mama!" They both said, and ate the rest of their supper.

"Freddy! Slow down, ….you'll choke, boy!" His father laughed at him a little.

"He wants to get done so he can go back to reading his book…what's it called? 'Trapper John in the Big Woods'?" Frances said.

"Trapper Jim!" Freddy said. "'Trapper Jim in the North Woods!'...It's neat, Papa! It's about these five boys, 'round my age! And they go on this hunting trek with this old trapper guy, Jim Ruggles! Of course, he's a trapper, so that's why they call him Trapper Jim…..so….he goes on the trek with the boys, and one of the boys, Toby Jucklin…He's a stutterer….and anyway, he's gone missin'! That's all I've read so far! I like it 'cause I think it's got huntin' and fishin' in it…oh and trappin'! I wanna be a trapper! Bring in money, ya know, Papa?"

"Sounds like quite a fine book, son." Fred said. "Yeah, I think that'd be good for you to raise a little money….teach you responsibility. What do you think you'd trap? All animals….or you gonna limit yourself to one?"

Freddy shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know…."

"Well, maybe we'll get you some trapping books from the mercantile."

"Neat!" Freddy grinned.

"I know how much you like readin' books….and when we get out there, I can teach you some things."

"All right, Papa…." Freddy smiled. "Mama, can I go read now? I'm finished."

"You may…but while you sister gathers the plates and things from the table and puts them in the wash tub….I want you to go out to the well and get a bucket of water for me, please."

"Sure, Mama!" He said, grabbed the water bucket and headed out the back door. He soon burst through the door again, with the water bucket in hand and gave it to his mother.

"Now can I go read?"

"Yes! Go!...Go read!" Frances laughed and watched him sprint through the door of the kitchen, through her sewing room and into the parlor, where he planted himself on the little couch and opened his book and continued where he left off…

_"Come on, you slow pokes!" he exclaimed, making for the door; "why, our_

_poor chum might be drowning for all we know, and us wasting time here."_

_"Oh, I reckon it ain't so bad as that," remarked Trapper Jim. "Hard to_

_drown a tall boy in a three-foot deep crick. Besides, he's up the wind_

_from here, while the water lies the other way. That's one reason none of_

_us heard him before."_

_They were all hurrying along by now. Bandy-legs, being a little timid,_

_and not altogether liking the looks of the dark woods, had picked up the_

_gun belonging to Max._

_"My goodness!" he called out after the others, being in the rear of the_

_little procession, "there's no telling how long poor old Toby might 'a'_

_been letting out his whoops, and with that door shut we didn't hear him."_

_"Well, we can right now, all right!" called back Steve, who was running_

_neck and neck with the trapper, swinging his lighted lantern in such a_

_reckless, haphazard fashion that he was in momentary danger of smashing_

_the useful article against some tree._

_They could all hear Toby calling very clearly now._

_"Help! Oh, h-h-help!"_

_"One thing sure," Max remarked; "Toby hasn't tumbled down into a hollow_

_tree stump! His yells sound too plain for that."_

_"Oh, shucks; forget it!" said Bandy-legs._

_Some time before, while the boys were hunting for Bandy-legs, who had_

_become lost in a large swamp not twenty miles away from Carson, they had_

_finally found him, caged fast inside a large hollow stump. He had climbed_

_to the top of this to take an observation, when the rotten wood, giving_

_way, had allowed him to fall inside._

_It had been a bitter experience for Bandy-legs, and his chums never_

_mentioned it without him shivering, as memory again carried him back to_

_the hours of suffering he had spent in his woody prison._

_As they advanced the cries grew louder:_

_"H-h-help! Boys, oh, b-b-boys, come q-q-quick! I can't h-h-hold on much_

_longer!"_

_"Say, he must be away up in a tree!" exclaimed Steve._

_"No, his voice sounds closer to the ground than that," declared Max._

_"Tell you what," panted Bandy-legs from behind, "he's just gone and fell_

_over some old cliff, that's what. You know how clumsy Toby is."_

_That sounded rather queer, since it was the speaker himself who had_

_always been getting into scrapes because of this trait._

_"Cliff!" snorted Steve, "like to know how anybody could ever fall up a_

_cliff. You mean a precipice, silly."_

_"Guess I do," admitted Bandy-legs, "but it's all the same. If you're on_

_top it's a precipice, and if you're down below-"_

_"Listen to him holler, would you?" interrupted Steve. "Hold on, Toby,_

_we're coming as fast as we c'n sprint! Keep up a little longer! It's all_

_right! Your pards are on the job!"_

_Max thought he saw Trapper Jim laughing about this time. From this he_

_imagined the other must have guessed the true state of affairs, and that_

_poor Toby could not be in such desperate straits as they believed._

_The darkness was intense there under the trees._

_Several times did impulsive Steve stumble over obstacles which in his_

_eagerness he had failed to notice._

_Trapper Jim was doubtless sizing the various boys up by degrees, and long_

_before now he had read most of their leading characteristics. But anyone_

_would be able to know the headstrong nature of Steve Dowdy, after being_

_in his company for an hour._

_"Where are you, Toby, old fellow?" called Steve._

_"H-h-here! L-l-lookout, or you'll f-f-fall over, too," came weakly from a_

_point just ahead of them._

_"Oh, didn't I tell you?" shouted Bandy-legs. "It is a precipice after_

_all, and p'r'aps an awful high one! Hold on, Toby, don't you dare let_

_loose when we're right at hand."_

_Max had felt a thrill again at the prospect of such a peril threatening_

_Toby. But another look at Trapper Jim reassured him._

_"Yes," said Jim, "be mighty careful how you step, boys. Get down on your_

_hands and knees and creep up here to the edge of the awful chasm. Now,_

_hold the lanterns down, so we can all of us see."_

_Cautiously did the alarmed Steve do as he was told. Four pairs of eager_

_eyes took in the situation. Amazement staggered the boys for the space of_

_ten seconds. Then they burst out into loud laughter._

_And no wonder._

_Toby was hanging there all right, red of face from his long-continued_

_exertion, and looking appealingly up to his chums. He had caught hold of_

_a friendly stout root as he found himself going over, and to this he_

_clung, digging his toes from time to time into the face of the_

_"precipice," and in this way managing to sustain himself, though almost_

_completely exhausted by the alarm and strain combined._

_"Ain't you g-g-goin' to h-h-help me?" he gasped, amazed no doubt to hear_

_his heartless chums laughing at his misfortune._

_"Let go, Toby!" cried Max._

_"Yes, drop down and take a rest!" added Steve, who could enjoy a joke to_

_the utmost when it was on Toby, with whom he often had words; though all_

_the same they were quite fond of each other._

_"W-w-want me to get s-s-smashed, d-d-don't you?" answered back the_

_indignant boy, as he continued to clutch that root, as though he believed_

_it to be the only thing between himself and destruction._

_"Look down, you loon!" cried Steve. "Call that a big drop? Why, I declare_

_the ground ain't more'n six inches down below your feet! Shucks; did I_

_ever hear the like!"_

_Toby did twist his neck the best he could and look. Then with a glad cry_

_he released his hold on the friendly root to fall in a heap._

_"Let's get down to him," said Trapper Jim, "he must be pretty well used_

_up, I reckon. Perhaps he's been hangin' thar half an hour'n more."_

_"But whatever made him do such a silly thing?" asked Steve, as they_

_proceeded to go around the edge of the little "sink," led by the trapper,_

_who knew every foot of ground._

_"Well, I don't know that it was so queer after all," declared Jim; "you_

_see, when he fell over here in the dark, how was Toby to know whether he_

_was hanging over a precipice ten feet deep or a hundred? All he could do_

_was to keep hold of that root and holler for help."_

_"And he did that to beat the band," declared Owen._

_"I guess it was all real to him," the trapper went on to say; "and_

_chances are, when he heard the trickling of this little brook that runs_

_through the sink here, he thought it was a river away below him. Oh, I_

_can feel for Toby all right. I once had an experience myself something_

_like his. But here we are down. How're you feeling, son?"_

_"P-p-pretty r-r-rocky," declared Toby, who was sitting up when they_

_reached him, and seemed to be trembling all over, as the result of the_

_nervous strain to which he had been subjected._

_"Don't blame you a bit," declared Max, who saw that the poor chap had in_

_truth suffered considerably. "Lots of fellows would have thought the same_

_as you did, Toby. I might myself, if I'd slipped down that way in the_

_dark. Here, grab hold with me, Steve, and we'll help Toby home."_

_"Anyhow," admitted Toby, as they put their arms about him, "I'm g-g-glad_

_you did c-c-come. R-r-reckon I'd f-f-fainted if I just had to let_

_g-g-go."_

_"Rats! I don't believe it," scoffed the unbelieving Steve._

_Once they reached the trapper's cabin, and came under the cheerful_

_influence of that crackling fire, even Toby's spirits rose again. He had_

_by this time recovered some of his usual grit, and could afford to laugh_

_with the rest at his recent experience._

_It was about as Trapper Jim suspected._

_Toby had been tempted to follow the lame rabbit for some little distance_

_into the woods. Finally, finding that he had gone pretty far, and with_

_night closing in rapidly all around him, the boy had started to return._

_Becoming a little confused, he had stumbled one way and another, and in_

_the end fallen over the edge of the shallow sink._

_Throwing out his hands even as he felt himself falling, he had caught_

_hold of the projecting root. Here he had hung, trying again and again to_

_climb up, but in vain; and quite sure that a terrible void lay beyond his_

_dangling legs._

_At first Toby had been too alarmed to even think of calling for help. But_

_as time went by, and he realized the desperate nature of his predicament,_

_he tried to shout._

_This was never an easy task to the stuttering boy, and doubtless he made_

_a sorry mess out of it._

_But all's well that ends well. Toby had been gallantly rescued, and now_

_the five chums were doing their level best to assist Trapper Jim prepare_

_supper._

_Would they ever forget the delights of that first meal under the roof of_

_the forest cabin? Often had they partaken of a camp dinner, but never_

_before had it seemed to have the same flavor as this one did, surrounded_

_as they were with those bunches of suggestive steel traps, the furs that_

_told of Jim's prowess in other days, and above all having the presence_

_of the grizzled trapper himself, a veritable storehouse of wonderful_

_information and thrilling experiences._

_And after the meal was finished they made themselves as comfortable as_

_each could arrange it, using all Jim's furs in the bargain._

_"Now, let's lay out the programme for tomorrow," suggested Max._

_"Me to try for the first deer," spoke up Steve, quickly. "Squirrel stew,_

_like we had for supper to-night, is all very well, but it ain't in the_

_same class with fresh venison. Yum, yum, my mouth fairly waters for it,_

_boys!"_

_"Some like venison and some say gray nut-fed squirrels," remarked Trapper_

_Jim. "As for me, give me squirrel every time."_

_"But we ought to try and get one deer anyway, hadn't we?" Steve pleaded._

_"Sure we will," replied the owner of the cabin, heartily, "and I hope it_

_falls to your gun, Steve, seeing you dote on venison so. But it might be_

_to-morrow I'd like to set a few of my traps, and reckoned that some of_

_you boys'd want to watch me do the job."_

_"That's right," cried Owen and Max together, their eyes fairly sparkling_

_with delight at the anticipated treat._

_So they talked on, and Trapper Jim told lots of mighty interesting things_

_as he smoked his old black pipe and sent curling wreaths of blue smoke up_

_the broad throat of the chimney._

_"Wonder if the moon ain't up long before now?" remarked Steve, finally._

_"Go and find out," suggested Bandy-legs._

_Whereupon Steve arose, stretched his cramped legs, and, going over to the_

_door, opened it. They saw him pass out, and as the trapper had started to_

_relate another of his deeply interesting experiences the boys devoted_

_their attention to him. But it was not three minutes later when Steve_

_came rushing into the cabin, his eyes filled with excitement, and his_

_voice raised to almost a shout as he cried out:_

_"Wolves; a whole pack of 'em comin' tearin' mad this way!"_

_CHAPTER III._

_WHAT WOODCRAFT MEANT._

_"Wolves! Oh, my gracious! You don't say!" cried Bandy-legs, making a dive_

_for the two sleeping bunks that Steve had built along one side of the_

_inside wall of the cabin._

_Of course there was an immediate scurrying around. All the other boys_

_were on their feet instantly, even tired Toby with the rest._

_Max instinctively threw a glance toward the corner where his faithful gun_

_stood. He did not jump to secure it, however, because something caused_

_him to first of all steal a quick look at Trapper Jim. When he discovered_

_that worthy with a broad smile upon his face, Max decided that after all_

_the danger could hardly be as severe as indications pointed._

_Meanwhile Steve had managed to slam the door shut, and was holding it so_

_with his whole weight while he tried to adjust the bar properly in its_

_twin sockets._

_Steve was trembling all over with excitement. A thing like this was apt_

_to stir him up tremendously._

_"Why don't some of you lend a hand here?" he kept calling out. "Plague_

_take that clumsy old bar, won't it ever take hold? Get my gun for me,_

_can't you, Bandy-legs? Listen to the varmints a-tryin' to break in, would_

_you. Wow! Ain't they mad I fooled them, though? Say, I wonder now if_

_they'd think to get on the roof and come down the chimbly. Hand me my_

_gun, Bandy-legs! Get a move on you!"_

_By this time Jim was doubled up with laughter._

_"Hold on you cannon-ball express boy," he remarked, as he stepped over_

_and began to take away the bar which Steve had managed to get in place_

_with so much trouble; "I guess we'll have to let these critters come in._

_They look on Uncle Jim's cabin as their home."_

_"What, wolves!" gasped Steve._

_"Well, hardly, but my two dogs, Ajax and Don," replied the trapper. "You_

_see, I didn't want them along when I borrowed that buckboard and team to_

_fetch you all here. So I left 'em with a neighbor three miles off, and_

_told him to set 'em loose to-night. So you thought they were wolves, did_

_you, Steve? Well, I guess they look somethin' that way, and the moonlight_

_was a little deceivin', too."_

_With that he threw open the door._

_Immediately a couple of shaggy dogs bounded in and began barking_

_furiously as they jumped up at their master, showing all the symptoms of_

_great joy._

_"Sho, one'd think they hadn't seen me for a whole month, instead of only_

_a few hours," laughed Trapper Jim, as he fondled the dogs._

_Then the five boys in turn were introduced, as gravely as though Ajax and_

_Don might be human beings._

_"They're quick to catch on," remarked Trapper Jim. "They know now you're_

_all friends of mine, and you can depend on 'em to stand by you through_

_thick and thin."_

_"What are they good for?" asked Bandy-legs._

_"This smaller one is reckoned the best 'coon dog in the woods," replied_

_the other, patting the head of Don. "If there's a striped-tail in the_

_district and I set him to working, he'll get him up a tree sooner or_

_later. And when the animal is knocked to the ground Don knows just how to_

_get the right grip on his throat."_

_"But his ears are all slit, and his head looks like it had been scratched_

_and gouged a whole lot," remarked Steve._

_"Well, old 'coons, they've got pretty sharp claws sometimes, ain't they,_

_Don?" continued the old trapper. "And in the excitement a dog can't_

_always just defend himself, eh, old fellow! They will get a dig in once_

_in a while, spite of us."_

_Don barked three times, just as if he understood every single word his_

_master was saying._

_"And how about Ajax?" Bandy-legs continued._

_"He's a general all-around dog, and ain't afraid of anything that walks._

_Why, boys, I've known him to tackle and kill the biggest lynx ever seen_

_in these parts, and that's something few dogs could do."_

_"What's a lynx?" asked Bandy-legs._

_"A species of wildcat that sometimes strays down this way across the_

_Canada border," replied the trapper. "Generally speaking, he's bigger'n_

_the other and fierce as all get out. Fact is, I believe I'd sooner have a_

_panther tackle me than a full-grown, ugly tempered lynx. Some people call_

_it the 'woods devil,' and they hit it pretty near right, too."_

_"Hasn't a lynx got some sort of mark about him that makes him look_

_different from the ordinary bobcat?" asked Owen._

_"Why, yes," replied Trapper Jim, "there's some difference in the beasts;_

_but I reckon the little tassels that kinder adorn the ears of the lynx_

_mark him most of all."_

_"Looks like a full house, now," remarked Max, who had not hesitated to_

_make up with both the dogs, being very fond of their kind._

_"Oh, while I have company Ajax and Don'll have to sleep in the shed or_

_lean-to outside," remarked the master of the dogs. "Of course, when I'm_

_here all by myself they stay indoors with me. And I tell you, lads, they_

_make a fellow feel less lonely in the long winter days and nights. Dogs_

_are men's best friends-that is, the right kind of dogs. They become_

_greatly attached to you, too."_

_Toby just then seemed to become greatly excited. Finding it difficult to_

_express himself as he wanted, he pointed straight at Steve, and was heard_

_to say:_

_"A-a-attached to you! S-s-sure they do; S-s-steve knows! Saw one attached_

_to h-h-him once. Wouldn't h-h-hardly let go."_

_At that there were loud shouts, and even Steve himself could hardly keep_

_from grinning at the recollection of the picture Toby's words recalled._

_"'Spose you fellers never will get over that affair," he remarked, as_

_he put his hand behind him, just as if after all these months he still_

_felt a pain where the dog had bitten him. "Cost me a good pair of_

_trousers, too, in the bargain. It was a bulldog," he added, turning_

_toward Trapper Jim, "and he was so much attached to me that he followed_

_me halfway 'over a seven-foot fence. Would have gone the whole thing only_

_the cloth gave way and he lost his grip."_

_"Well, that showed a warm, generous nature," remarked Trapper Jim; "some_

_dogs are marked that way."_

_"This one was," declared Steve. "But I got even with the critter."_

_"How was that?" asked the other, looking a little serious; for, himself a_

_lover of dogs, he never liked to hear of one being abused._

_"I got me one of those little liquid pistols, you know, and laid for my_

_old enemy," Steve continued; "he saw me passing by and came bouncing out_

_to try my other leg. But he changed his mind in a big hurry. And, say,_

_you just ought to 'a' heard him yelp when he turned around and faced the_

_other way."_

_"You didn't blind the poor beast, I hope?" remarked Jim._

_"Oh, nothin' to speak of," said Steve, gayly. "He was all right the next_

_day. Ammonia smarts like fun for awhile, but it goes off. But, listen,_

_whenever I passed that house, if old Beauty was sitting on the steps like_

_he used to do, as soon as he glimpsed me, would you believe it, he'd turn_

_tail and run quick for the back yard and watch me around the comer of the_

_house."_

_"You had him tamed, all right," said Max._

_"We called it an even break, and let it go at that," said Steve._

_When the boys began to yawn, and betrayed unmistakable evidences of being_

_sleepy, their host showed them how he had arranged it so that they could_

_all sleep comfortably._

_There were only two wooden bunks, one above the other. Trapper Jim was to_

_occupy the lower one, and turn about, the five boys were to have the_

_other._

_This necessitated four of them sleeping on the floor each night. But as_

_there were plenty of soft furs handy, and the boys announced that they_

_always enjoyed being able to stretch out on the ground, Jim knew he would_

_have no trouble on this score._

_So the first night passed._

_Perhaps none of them slept as well as usual. This nearly always turns out_

_to be the case with those who go into the wilderness for a spell. The_

_change from home comforts and soft beds to the hardships that attend_

_roughing it can be set down as the principal cause._

_However, nothing serious occurred during the night calculated to disturb_

_them. It is true Toby did fall out of the upper berth once, landing on a_

_couple of the others with a thump, but then such a little matter was_

_hardly worth mentioning between friends._

_And they could understand how Toby must be dreaming of his recent_

_trouble, as he hung over that terrible abyss by his hold on a single_

_root._

_Perhaps the root gave way in his dreams, and Toby made a frantic effort_

_to save himself._

_Morning came at last._

_Breakfast was cooked and eaten with considerable eagerness, for_

_immediately it was over the boys expected to accompany their host while_

_he made his first tour of the season, intending to set a few traps in_

_places that had been marked as favorable to the carrying out of his_

_business._

_They could hardly wait for Trapper Jim to get through his chores._

_Presently Jim went over several lots of hanging traps and selected those_

_he wished to use on the first day._

_How he seemed to handle certain ones fondly, as though they carried with_

_them memories of stirring events in the dim past._

_They all looked pretty much alike to the boys, but Jim undoubtedly had_

_certain little familiar marks by means of which he recognized each_

_individual trap. He mentioned some of their peculiar histories as he_

_picked out his "lucky" traps._

_"This one held two mink at a pop twice now, something I never knew to_

_happen before," he remarked._

_"And this old rusty one was lost a whole season. When I happened to find_

_it, there was a piece of bone and some fur between the jaws, showing that_

_the poor little critter had gnawed off its own foot rather than die of_

_starvation. Made me fell bad, that did. A good trapper seldom allows such_

_a thing to happen."_

_"Do mink really set themselves free that way?" asked Owen._

_"They will, if given half a chance," was Jim's reply. "That's one reason_

_we always try to fix it so that mink, otter, muskrats, fisher, and all_

_animals that are trapped along the edge of streams manage to drown_

_themselves soon after they are caught. It saves the pelt from being_

_injured, too, by their crazy efforts to break away."_

_"And what of that trap over there? You seem to be taking mighty good care_

_of it," said Max, who was deeply interested in everything the trapper was_

_doing._

_"Well, I hadn't ought to complain about that trap," came the answer._

_"Year before last it caught me a silver fox, as the black fox is called._

_And perhaps you know that a prime black fox pelt is worth as high as_

_several thousand dollars."_

_"Hear that, will you!" exclaimed Steve._

_"H-h-how much d-d-did you g-g-get for it?" asked Toby._

_"Well," Jim went on to say, "it wasn't a Number One, but they allowed I_

_ought to get eight-fifty for it; which check was enclosed in the letter_

_I'll show you some day. I keep it to prove the truth of my story."_

_"A bully good day's work, eh?" remarked Steve._

_"Best that ever came my way," admitted the other._

_"Gee, wonder now if we'd be lucky enough to set eyes on a silver fox_

_worth a cool thousand or more?" ventured Bandy-legs._

_"It is barely possible you may, boys," remarked the trapper; "because I_

_saw a beauty two or three times during the summer. And I'm kind of hoping_

_there may be some sort of magic about this same trap to coax him to put_

_his foot in it."_

_"A single fox skin fetching thousands of dollars!" remarked Steve, as if_

_hardly able to grasp it as the truth. "Whew, that beats finding pearls in_

_the shells of mussels all hollow!"_

_"Yes," Owen broke in, "and even Ted Shafter and his crowd hunting wild_

_ginseng roots and selling it to the wholesale drug house at big money_

_doesn't cut so much of a figure after all, does it?"_

_"One thing I want to ask you, boys, right in the start," the trapper took_

_occasion to say; "while you're up with me you must promise never to shoot_

_at a fox, a mink, a marten, an otter, or in fact any small fur-bearing_

_animal."_

_"We give you our word, all right, Uncle Jim," said Steve, readily._

_"Of course," continued the old trapper, "my one reason for asking this is_

_to keep you from ruining good pelts. It would be pretty tough now if_

_after I caught that black fox I found that his skin had been so badly_

_torn by birdshot that it wasn't worth handling."_

_"That's right, it would," admitted Owen._

_"You can depend on us to hold back," Max added, sincerely._

_"Well, this is about all the traps I care to put out to-day," and as he_

_spoke Jim made them up in two bundles, one of which he gave to Toby and_

_the other to Bandy-legs._

_He saw that, ordinarily, these two were the least important members of_

_the club. And in the kindness of his heart he wished to make them feel_

_that he needed their especial help._

_So Toby and the other chum slung the traps over their shoulders with_

_ill-concealed pleasure in that they had been singled out for such_

_attention by the old trapper._

_"Then you don't mean to set Old Tom to-day," asked Owen, pointing to a_

_big trap, whose weight and grim-looking jaws announced that it was_

_intended for large game._

_Old Jim smiled and shook his head, as he replied:_

_"Hardly any use, unless we run across bear tracks. Such a thing might_

_happen, you know; because it did snow last night, and there's a good inch_

_on the ground right now."_

_"But, hold on," said Owen, "I understood that bears always went to sleep_

_in the fall and stayed in some cave or a hollow tree till spring came."_

_"They do," answered the trapper, "but generally hang around till the_

_first real hard blizzard comes along. This little snow don't count, and_

_every day a bear is able to be around hunting roots and such things, why,_

_the less he has to live on his own fat, you know, But we're all ready_

_now, so come along, boys."_

_The dogs were left at the cabin, which Jim did not even shut up. He knew_

_Ajax and Don would stay close at home; for the sight of the strings of_

_traps told the intelligent dogs they could not be allowed to accompany_

_their master on this expedition._

_An hour later, and Jim was showing the eager and curious boys who_

_remained at a little distance, so that their scent might not cause the_

_cautious mink to abandon his usual trail, just how he set a trap in order_

_to catch the cunning little animal, and make him drown himself with the_

_weight of the trap._

_The snare was set at the mouth of a hole in the bank of a creek, and_

_which, Jim informed them, was one of many visited by the male mink each_

_night as they wandered up and down the stream._

_He used some animal "scent" contained in a small bottle to help attract_

_his prey. Then, after destroying all evidences of his having been there_

_as much as he possibly could, Trapper Jim rejoined the boys._

_"Now we'll head for the marsh where I put several traps day before_

_yesterday and mean to add a few more to-day," he remarked. "As we go,_

_I'll try to explain just why a man has to be so very careful whenever he_

_matches his wits against those of a wily and timid little beast."_

_They hung upon every word Jim uttered, for these secrets of the woods_

_were things all of them had long wanted to know. What could musty old_

_school books teach them that could equal the knowledge they imbibed_

_straight out of the fountain of experience._

_It was while Jim was holding forth in his most effective manner, so as to_

_thrill every one of his boy friends, that they saw him come to a sudden_

_stop._

_His eyes were fastened upon the white ground just in front of them, and_

_as he pointed with his gun he electrified the boys by saying:_

_"Mebbe after all we might have use of Old Tom to-morrow, for there's the_

_tracks of a big bear."_

_CHAPTER IV._

_THE SECRETS OF TRAPPING._

_"Bully!" cried Steve, looking almost as happy as he did on that_

_never-to-be-forgotten day when they found their first lovely pearl in a_

_mussel taken from the Big Sunflower River._

_"A b-b-bear!" exclaimed Toby. "L-l-let me s-s-see."_

_All of them were soon eagerly examining the marks so plainly described in_

_the light snow. Bruin had evidently shuffled along here, heading for some_

_favorite place in the neighboring marsh, where he knew food was still to_

_be found._

_"We'd better leave the old chap alone for a bit," announced Jim. "When I_

_can make sure by his coming back to his den the same way that he's got a_

_regular trail, we'll lay for him."_

_"I'd like to get in a shot with my gun," declared Steve._

_"H-h-ho! Much g-g-good your N-n-number Seven shot'd d-d-do against his_

_t-t-tough old hide!" jeered Toby._

_"Get out! You don't think I'm such a ninny as that, I hope," answered_

_Steve, indignantly. "Hey, take a look at that shell, and this one, too,_

_will you? Know why that black cross is on them? Course you don't. Well,_

_I'll tell you."_

_"H-h-hurry up then and t-t-tell me."_

_"They're buckshot shells," declared Steve. "Each one's got just twelve_

_buckshot inside, all as big as pistol bullets. And at short range they're_

_calculated to bring down a deer like fun. I'd be willing to take my_

_chances against a black bear, given a good opening to hit him back of his_

_foreleg. Now you know a heap more'n you did before, Toby Jucklin."_

_"S-s-sure," answered the other, nodding his head good-naturedly._

_"But remember," said Jim at this juncture, "a good bearskin is worth all_

_the way from five to twenty dollars to me. But after you've made a sieve_

_out of it with twelve or twenty-four buckshot from that scatter gun, why,_

_I hardly think I could give it away."_

_"So Steve, please restrain your bear-killing feeling just now," said Max._

_"Whether we get him in a trap or shoot him on the run the bear steaks_

_will taste just as good; won't they, Uncle Jim?"_

_"I reckon you're right," replied the trapper, without any great_

_animation; for doubtless he had found bear meat pretty tough eating, and_

_given his choice would any day have much preferred the porterhouse steak_

_which Steve had so often at home that he turned up his nose at it._

_When they arrived at the marsh where the countless muskrats had their_

_homes, a new species of interest was aroused._

_Jim showed them how he had to employ entirely new tactics when dealing_

_with the muskrats than in connection with the mink. The former were_

_banded together in colonies, and the trapper had to be constantly on the_

_alert lest in capturing one prize he frighten the whole family away._

_"But I learned my business many years ago," the old trapper declared,_

_with considerable pride, "when beaver lived in the North Woods. There_

_never were more wary little animals than those same beaver, and the man_

_who could circumvent 'em had a right to call himself smart."_

_After setting three traps he led the way to a place where he had left one_

_baited on the occasion of his previous visit to the marsh._

_"You see, here's where I set it on the bank," he remarked, "and the chain_

_ran down there to a stake in deep water."_

_"But it ain't here now, Uncle Jim," said Steve._

_"Because a curious and hungry musquash, anxious to reach the bait I stuck_

_on a splinter of wood just above the trap, set it off."_

_"And then sprang back into the water, because that was his natural way of_

_doing when alarmed, and soon drowned there. Was that the way it worked,_

_Uncle Jim?" asked Max._

_The old trapper looked fondly at him and answered:_

_"Exactly as you say, son. Men who trap these cunning small fur-bearing_

_animals never get tired of studying their habits; and the one who enters_

_most fully into the life and instincts of mink, 'coon, marten, otter,_

_fisher, or even the humble muskrat, is the fellow who succeeds best in_

_his business."_

_"B-b-but all the m-m-muskrats I ever saw could swim and s-s-stay under_

_w-w-water's long as they p-p-pleased," Toby broke out with._

_"That's a mistake," said Trapper Jim. "None of these animals can live_

_under water all the time like a fish. They have to come up to breathe_

_just so often. Beaver have houses made of mud and sticks. The entrances_

_to these are always down below: but you find the tops of all beaver_

_houses above the surface."_

_"But," said Steve, "I've seen muskrats dive just as Toby says, and waited_

_with a club to have 'em come to the top of the water again; but lots of_

_times I'd have to chuck it up as no good. How did that happen, Uncle_

_Jim?"_

_"That is easily explained," answered the trapper. "Just as alligators do,_

_so mink, otter, and muskrats have holes that run up into the bank of a_

_stream, their nest being always above ordinary high water. When you_

_missed seeing your rat it was because he happened to be near enough to_

_dive down, enter his tunnel, and make his way up to his nest. You see,_

_there are lots of queer things to be learned, if you only keep your eyes_

_and ears open when in these woods."_

_"But show us if you really did get one in your trap," urged Bandy-legs,_

_who knew much less about all these things than any one of the chums, yet_

_felt considerable eagerness to learn._

_So with a stick that had a fork at the end Jim felt around in the water_

_at a point he supposed he would find something._

_And, sure enough, he presently caught the chain and speedily pulled out_

_the trap. It was not empty. A plump-looking muskrat was caught by both_

_forelegs._

_"You got him, all right, sure," commented Steve._

_Trapper Jim was taking the victim out, and carefully resetting the trap_

_in the same place it had been before; after which he renewed the bait._

_"Like as not I'll have another to-morrow, and for days to come," he_

_remarked; "unless they get suspicious on account of the scent we leave by_

_touching things. I try to kill that all I can. But when animals are_

_unusually timid, it's often necessary to come in a boat, and do it all_

_without setting a foot on shore, because, you know, water leaves neither_

_trail nor scent."_

_"Yes, the sharpest-nosed hound in the world is knocked out, I've read,_

_when the game takes to the water."_

_It was Owen who made this remark, and the trapper nodded his head in_

_approval as he added:_

_"I see you are a great reader, my boy. That's a mighty fine thing._

_There's only one that's better-proving the truth of things by actual_

_experience. And while you're up here in the grand old North Woods with me_

_I hope you'll pick up a lot of useful information that you never would_

_find in any school books. Now we're ready to visit the second trap that_

_was set a little farther along."_

_To the satisfaction of the trapper this furnished a victim equal in size_

_to the first one._

_"I didn't know muskrats counted for much, Uncle Jim," remarked Steve, who_

_saw the sparkle in the old man's eyes as he handled the second prize._

_"Oh well, the skins didn't pay for the trouble years ago," he said in_

_reply, "but of late years good furs are getting so scarce that they are_

_using heaps of muskrat pelts, generally dyed and sold under another name._

_It is a good serviceable fur, and if taken up North answers the purpose_

_very well."_

_"Why do you say 'up North'?" asked Owen._

_"Max there can tell you, I'm sure," laughed the trapper._

_"Oh, well," remarked the one mentioned, "I do happen to know that the_

_farther north you go the better the fur. And, of course, that means a_

_higher price in the market, since all pelts are graded according to size_

_and quality."_

_"That means, I suppose," said Owen, "that a muskrat skin taken away up in_

_Northern Michigan or Canada is more valuable than the same sized pelt_

_that was captured down, say, in Florida."_

_"Often worth twice or three times as much," remarked the trapper. "Stands_

_to reason, too, since the little critters don't have much need of thick_

_hides where the weather is generally warm."_

_"I can see through that all right," Steve admitted, "but ain't they queer_

_lookin' little rascals, though! Some plump, too!"_

_"Fat as butter this season," observed Jim. "And I'm just longing to see_

_how they taste. Last year they didn't just seem to suit my particular_

_brand of appetite."_

_"What's that?" almost shouted Steve, "say, Uncle Jim, you're just trying_

_to give me taffy now, sure you are."_

_"That's where you're mistaken Steve," said the trapper, smiling at the_

_horrified expression on the boy's face._

_"But-you don't mean to say you _eat_ muskrats?" demanded Steve._

_"Do I? Well, you wait and see how I'll tackle these this very evening._

_And if we're lucky enough to find a third one in my other set trap, why,_

_you boys can have a look in, too."_

_"Me eat rats?" cried Steve, scornfully. "Mebbe I might if I had to do it_

_or starve to death; but not when I've got other stuff to line my stomach_

_with, I'm no Chinaman, Uncle Jim."_

_"Well, you'll change your tune before long," remarked the other, "and_

_it's a mistake to class these clean little animals with common rats. The_

_Indian name for him is musquash, and thousands of people appreciate the_

_fact that his meat is as sweet as that of a squirrel."_

_"And I've been told," said Max, "much more tender."_

_"That's a fact," declared Jim, "I've got so I never try to fry a squirrel_

_nowadays unless he's been parboiled first. They're the toughest little_

_critters that run around on four legs."_

_When they arrived at the third trap it was found to contain another_

_"victim of misplaced confidence," as Old Jim called it._

_"Plenty to go around now, boys," remarked the trapper._

_"You'll have to excuse me," said Steve, shuddering._

_And yet before three days went by Steve had been induced to taste the_

_musquash, as Trapper Jim prepared them, and found the dish so good that_

_afterwards his tin pannikin was shoved forward for a second helping as_

_often as any of the others._

_On the way home, after all the traps they had brought had been set,_

_Bandy-legs noticed a tree that stood up black and grim, as though a fire_

_had destroyed it at some time._

_"Yes," said Jim, when his attention was directed that way, "quite a few_

_years ago we had a big fire up this way that did heaps of damage. And_

_I've noticed that the conditions this fall are just about the same as_

_that year. Why, we've hardly had any rain at all in the last two months."_

_"The woods must be pretty dry then, I should think," Max remarked._

_"Dry as tinder," replied the other. "This little snow will all disappear,_

_and unless we get a heavy fall soon, it wouldn't surprise me if some_

_careless campers or deer hunters let their camp fire get into the brush_

_when the wind is blowing great guns. Then there'll be the mischief to_

_pay. But I hope it won't be any one of you boys."_

"Why don't you get ready for bed, Freddy…" Fred whispered, interrupting his son from his reading,

"Papa. Do I haveta? I'm right in the middle of chapter four!"

"It's getting late, son….You can read more tomorrow."

"Yes sir." Freddy mumbled. But he gave his mother and father a hug goodnight. "Goodnight."

"Sleep well…" Frances smiled, after she gave him a little kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks…" He mumbled, walking into his little bedroom.

Helen came out of her room, she had been asleep since 9, and it was getting close to about 11 or so. Frances saw the nine year old had tears streaming down her cheeks. "Helen, what's the matter, sweetie? Are you okay?" She asked, as her daughter wrapped her arms around her waist and started to cry more.

"You're all right…." Frances soothed, wiping the tears from the girl's big brown eyes and smoothed her blonde hair. "Now, what's the matter?"

"I….I…I had…had a bad dream…." She sniffled.

"Oh, it's all right, honey…" Frances embraced her daughter. "It was just a bad dream….nightmares are never real…Remember that." She smiled.

"Do you want to come sit on Papa's lap and tell me your bad dream?" Fred asked.

Helen nodded and climbed onto her father's lap. He wrapped his strong arms around her tiny, little frame and felt her head lay on his chest. "Now, what did you dream that was so bad?" He whispered, and kissed the top of her head.

"I dreamt that a big mean rattlesnake was chasing me….rattling its rattler at me! I don't like snakes, Papa!"

"I like snakes…." Fred said.

"You do?" She looked up at him.

"Why sure! When they're made into a yummy rattlesnake chili!"

Helen laughed at that. Fred chuckled too and his blue-gray eyes seemed to laugh too. "So, the next time you dream about that mean old rattler…..just dream I come in and kill it."

"And make it into rattlesnake chili?" Helen giggled.

"You bet." Fred chuckled. He gave her a little squeeze and kissed her again. "Now, you get back to bed. All right?"

"I love you, Papa." Helen smiled. "Goodnight." She whispered and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you too…Goodnight." Fred smiled.

**A/N: "With Trapper Jim in the North Woods" is a book my Grandpa gave me when I was about 10 years old. I saw it on a shelf in his garage and picked it up and opened it. It thought it was cool….even though I'm a girl. Lol. He said if I wanted it, I could have it….So I took it home and started reading it, but never got through the whole book. Lol!..."With Trapper Jim in the North Woods" was published in 1913 and written by Lawrence J. Leslie. **

**In the later part of this chapter, as I've fast forwarded about two or three years, it would be November of 1897….but in real life, it would be the year 1923.**

**Joe and Nona Gruber's second child, Leonona "Snooky" Agnes Gruber was born September 7****th****, 1923. So, in this chapter, making her two months old.**

**Fred Lay Jr., otherwise known as Freddy, according to my Grandpa, was the most practical person he ever knew. He was a real perfectionist and a life long hunter, fisherman and a professional mink trapper.**

**Helen called her older brother "Moosejaw" because he had a cute little way of jutting his jaw out to one side when he would joke with her. He had a keen sense of dry humor, so he could see the funny side of things. **

**There really was a kid nicknamed "Chocolate Baby" and he was really dark-skinned. All the old timers called him the little nickname.**


	58. Chapter 58

Freddy woke up around 5 the next morning to smell his mother's homemade bread baking. Usually, for breakfast, they'd have bacon, maybe ham sometimes, eggs, fried potatoes, and coffee or milk. And sometimes Frances would make a German breakfast, lunch or supper depending on the day, and if it was a certain holiday, they would celebrate and eat like the Germans would. Otherwise, they ate what Fred and now more frequently, what young Freddy would hunt.

"German style breakfast!" He exclaimed, putting on his deer-skin moccasin slippers. "Oh boy!" Freddy got up and left his room and made it to the kitchen, taking a seat at the table.

"Morning Freddy." Frances smiled at her son. "You ready for breakfast?"

"Yeah Mama! Bring on the Weisswurst!" The eleven year old grinned. It was his favorite German breakfast sausage made of minced veal and fresh pork bacon, both ground together.

"Freddy…." Frances laughed. "I'm just getting the water ready to boil now, you know they won't be ready till the second breakfast!" Much like the German people in Bavaria, where Frances' family was from, they would have a second breakfast or Zweites Frühstück….The first breakfast at 5 when they awoke, and the other at about 10:30.

"Aw shucks." He said.

"You'll get over it." She chuckled. Frances leaned down and gave her boy a kiss on the cheek. "You'll just have to settle for my homemade bread for now."

"Can I have butter on it?" He asked. "And a slice of smoked ham."

"Cooking it up right now." Frances smiled, as there were slices of ham on a sheet in the oven, so it would reheat the smoked ham. "Good morning, Helen." She said, as her daughter walked in and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Morning, Mama…" The nine year old yawned.

"Still tired, huh?" Frances said, and began to rub her daughter's back.

"Ah huh…" Helen yawned.

"Breakfast will wake you up, I bet." Frances said, after setting a slice of homemade buttered bread with a slice of ham on it in front of her.

"I thought that was mine!" Freddy chuckled.

"You get one too, my boy…" She laughed, ruffling his reddish brown hair.

"Where's Papa?" Helen asked, biting into the open-faced sandwich.

"He went to work at the brewery about the time I started getting breakfast ready, made him a cup of coffee and he left….he'll be back for Zweites Frühstück, then he'll go on back to work…"

"Can I have some coffee, Mama?" Freddy asked.

"No…just because children do in Germany, doesn't mean you have to…"

"But….we're German, Mama." Freddy said.

Well, he got her on that one! They were German! "Well, all right then…." She chuckled at him. "…...but let me stir in some milk and just a little bit of sugar, I don't want you getting all wound up…"

"All right!" Freddy grinned, as she laid a cup of coffee in front of the young lad. "Thanks Mama!"

Frances chuckled at him and shook her head a little. "You're welcome…now you two eat your breakfast and then get dressed."

"Can I go huntin' then?" Freddy asked.

"No sir…" Frances chuckled, laying her hands on his slim shoulders. "You'll both do your chores, and come back and then we'll have our Zweites Frühstück ….and…"

"And then can I go deer hunting?"

"No,…Nona's bringing the girls over at 12." She told him. "I promise you'll be able to hunt afterwards, all right, son?"

"All right." Freddy smiled.

Frances smiled and kissed his cheek. "Now,….eat your breakfast." She grinned and went back to the stove.

"Aren't you gonna eat too, Mama?"

"No….I made myself a few hard boiled eggs and a cup of coffee after I woke up….I'll wait until Zweites Frühstück."

"Weißwurst mit bayerischen süßem Senf und eine Brezel werden wir!" Helen said excitedly in German. She and Freddy loved speaking the language with their parents, and they caught on quickly. The English translation of what she said was, "We will have white sausages with Bavarian sweet mustard and a pretzel!"

"Und Weissbier!" Freddy said, grinning devilishly. Which in English, meant, "And wheat beer!"

Frances shook her head and chuckled at her son and spoke in German to him, "Nein, Sie nicht trinken werden Weissbier!" ..."No, you will not drink beer!"

Freddy chuckled. " Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, dann?"..."Black forest cake, then?"

"Wenn wir haben Kaffee und Kuchen." Frances grinned. "If we have coffee and cake."

"Can I have coffee then too?" Freddy asked.

Frances chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Ja..." She said in German, which meant, "Yes..."

They both went back to eating their breakfast. Helen had finished eating and went into her room to change out of her nightgown and into her little brown day dress. Freddy had soon finished his breakfast and his cup of coffee and went into his room and got dressed into a blue and brown flannel shirt and a pair of brown trousers. While the kids went out to do their chores, Frances busied herself getting the German sausage ready for the second breakfast, large soft pretzels covered in salt were baking in the oven. She grabbed a few jars of the sweet mustard she had made previously, but thought to make some more for another time, so she stood at the stove stirring the mixture of sugar and cider vinager. When it had carmelized, she brought it to a bowl filled with brown and yellow mustard seeds, salt, and ground cloves, and she stirred it till it was grainy. Frances poured the hot mustard into jars and sealed them tightly. She picked up the hem of her navy blue skirt and walked down the steps to the cellar to the back wall. There was the apple barrel in the middle of the two sets of shelves, where Fred and Freddy had put it. The set of shelves on the left was Fred's space, and the ones on the right were her's, so she put the jars of sweet mustard on the bottom shelf, so it would be able to mature for 5 to 6 weeks.

All the food for the second breakfast was soon ready, so Frances began setting the kitchen table, placing a large pretzel, three Weisswursts and a dab of the Bavarian sweet mustard on each plate. Helen came in from the barn after feeding and watering the animals, and she took her place at the table.

"Freddy still out chopping wood?" Frances asked.

" Yes Mama...Want me to go get him?"

"Please and thank you, Helen." She smiled and watched her daughter run out the back door. Helen went through the summer kitchen, down the steps, and near the little rock wall where they stacked the wood and where they would wash clothes in the summertime.

Freddy looked up from his wood-chopping and saw his little sister. "Mama wants me inside?" He asked.

"Yeah, food's all ready."

"Can't wait!" He grinned. "I love the Weisswurst!" Freddy said, walking up the summer kitchen steps with his younger sister.

"You like any kind of German sausage, Freddy!"

"I know!" Freddy laughed. "I like the Black Forrest Cake, too."

"Me too!" Helen exclaimed.

"Can I have your cherries?" Freddy grinned as they walked into the house and sat down.

"No!...I like the cherries, Freddy!"

"Well, so do I." Freddy grinned.

"You will both have cherries on your cake!" Frances laughed at them. "But...its not time for coffee and cake right now..."

"It's time for, Zweites Frühstück!" Freddy grinned.

Frances chuckled, smiling at her son. "Ja, das ist richtig."..."Yes, that is right."

Helen took a piece from her pretzel and dipped it into the sweet mustard and took a small bite.

"Helen...what do we do before we eat?" Frances smiled.

"I forgot to pray..." Helen said softly. "Oops."

"Its all right. Let's just remember to next time...I'll pray since I think your father's running a little late..." Frances said, and the three of them bowed their heads and she prayed, a hand on her son's shoulder, and the other resting on her daughter's..."Dear Lord, thank you for our day so far...thank you for this good food and may it strengthen our bodies...and help us have a good rest of the day as Fran and Snooky come over for awhile. Help Freddy and Helen..." She prayed while rubbing their shoulders gently when she said their names... " to set a good example for their cousins as they play together today,..In Jesus' Name, Amen..."

"And help me get something when I go hunting today!" Freddy added.

"I think He'd grant you something since you prayed and asked Him for it." Frances chuckled.

"Good God in Heaven!" She exclaimed, as she felt hands around her waist. It was Fred. He had snuck in when they were praying. "Fred!" Frances laughed. She felt him kiss her cheek and down her jawline. "Fred!...Fred, sit down, will you?" She laughed, spinning around to meet his face. "The way you're carrying on!...My word, its not like I'm seventeen again!...You know I'll be 30 in five months..."

"Coulda fooled me..." Fred smiled at her. "Plus...30's still young..." He grinned, holding her closer to him.

"Oh hush up!" She laughed, squeezing his arm and gave him a quick kiss. "Now sit down!...Sit, sit, sit!" She said, rushing off to get herself a cup of coffee.

"Do you have my Weissbier, Frances?" Fred asked, taking his seat at the table.

"Yes, I do..." She said, placing the tall glass of foming German beer in front of him. "I know you work at a beer factory, honey,...but I don't think your boss would like it if you were drunk on the job..." She laughed.

"I'm not going to get drunk..." Fred laughed. "And I only have a German beer once in awhile."

"Yes, but you also have whiskey once in a while too...And you said you'd never drink again." Frances chuckled.

"Can I have a sip of that, Papa?" Freddy asked.

Fred chuckled. "Nah, son you don't want this...not yet." He said, swallowing a gulp of his German beer.

"Your father's right...you don't." Frances said, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Now you eat!"

"Sure Mama..." Freddy said, slicing his sausage down the middle, length-wise and picked up a half and dipped it in the sweet mustard. Helen was also enjoying her Weisswurst just as Freddy was.

"I think you kids like the white sausage, just because you get to eat without silverware!" Frances laughed.

"Well, yeah..." Freddy nodded and then grinned. "But it tastes good too!"

"I agree!" Helen chimed in. The kids finished their second breakfast, having their chores done, Freddy went into the parlor to read his book for a while, while Helen went into her room to do her weekend homework.

"_Each and every one of them solemnly declared that he was firmly resolved_

_to be unusually careful._

_Finally they reached the cabin._

_In the afternoon Old Jim skinned the three musquash, and showed the boys_

_how he fastened the hides on stretching boards, which would cause them_

_to retain their shape while they dried._

_"We never put skins in the sun or near a fire to dry," he observed,_

_seeing that most of the boys were anxious to learn all they could….."_

Freddy was just about to read the next line, when Helen came in shrieking at him.

"Freddy! Freddy! I'm learning about cowboys in my American History!"

"Yeah…so?" He said and went back to reading his book awhile…..until she interrupted him…again.

"I'm learning all about the cattle ranchers! They worked 20 hours a day and made between $25 to $40 a month!..."

"I heard cowboy's wear trousers made of something called denim…." Freddy said. "Been wanting to ask if I could buy some to wear when I go hunting….."

"That'd be neat!" Helen said excitedly. "To look like a cowboy!...You should ask Mama and Papa sometime!"

"I might…..Its strong fabric. I think they'd be better for hunting than my other trousers…." Freddy said and started grinning at her…"Is that what I think it is?"

A smile crept across Helen's face. "Black Forest Cake!" They both said excitedly. They could smell it! It was all ready!

"C'mon!" Freddy grinned and they both ran into the kitchen to enjoy a little coffee and a slice of cake.

(

"I brought a couple feeding bottles and some cloth diapers and anything else I thought she might need…." Nona said, passing her two month old daughter off into her sister-in-law's arms.

"I believe I can handle it, Nona…" Frances smiled. "Don't worry…"

"I'm not….oh, who am I kidding, I am!" Nona exclaimed. "I've never been away from my girls since the day they were born! I just hope they'll be alright without me…."

"They will….Now calm down, you worried mother." Frances chuckled.

"I can't help it, Frances!"

"I know you can't…Believe me, I went through it too…"

"Nona, let's get going now…." Joe said, laying a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"All right….All right, just let me say goodbye to Fran….." She said, getting down on her knees in front of her three year old daughter. "You be good for your Aunt Frances while we're gone…We'll be back later, Fran…." Nona said, giving her a hug and a little kiss on the forehead.

"You're sure you can handle them?" Nona asked.

"Yes, I'm sure….Now get going!" Frances laughed and watched them leave.

"I think we can handle this little one…." Frances said softly, smiling down at the two month old baby in her arms. "She'll be sleeping most of the time she's here, I bet. Yes…..She's already nodding off." Frances chuckled. "Freddy, could you and your sister get her old cradle from the attic room?"

"Sure Mama…" He whispered and he and his sister headed upstairs.

"Fran, that's a nice little necklace you're wearing." Frances smiled at the little 3 year old, wearing a beaded necklace.

"Pretties…" Fran said quietly.

"Do you like pretties, Fran?" Frances grinned at her little niece.

"Yes…" The little girl said quietly.

"You're so cute, Fran…." Frances smiled…The toddler reminded her of her own daughter at that age. Fran's hair was just like Helen's, but a deep brown, her eyes just the same.

Freddy and Helen came down with the little baby cradle and set it in the parlor, and Frances placed baby Leonona, otherwise known as Snooky, into Helen's old cradle. "There we go…" She said softly, and smiled, lingering there awhile.

"You look so natural with a baby…." Fred grinned as Frances got up from where she was kneeling at the cradle.

"I do, hm?" Frances looked at him, hands on her hips. "Why do you keep bringing this up?" She chuckled.

"Because I wouldn't mind another….what about you?" He grinned, touching her shoulder.

"We can talk about this later." She gave him a look, but smiled at him. "Now don't you need to get back to work?"

Fred smiled and kissed his wife on the lips. "I'll be back for supper…" Frances walked with him to the back door, her hand on his back. Before he walked out the door, she kissed him on the cheek. "See you later." She smiled, and stood at the door as she watched him leave. Frances went back into the parlor to see what her two children and her little niece were up to.

"Mama! Fran's getting tired of playing with her toys she brought…." Helen complained.

"Well, we'll just play something else, now." Frances said.

"I know!" Freddy exclaimed. "Let's play, 'Button, button, who's got the button?'!"

"Yeah!" Helen grinned and then turned to her brother. "But not you! You always find the button first!"

"Hey!" Freddy said, feigning like he was hurt.

"Helen…was that very nice?" Frances asked.

Helen just looked at her mother and didn't answer.

"Was it?" She asked calmly.

"No Mama…." Helen said quietly. She looked over at Freddy. "I'm sorry, Freddy…"

"It's all right…." He said, laying a hand on his little sister's shoulder and laughed slightly. "I'll try not to find the button."

"I have a better idea, Freddy." Frances chuckled. "How about you hide the button for the girls?"

"Okay!"

"Can I pick out the button?" Helen asked.

"Yes,…you can." Her mother smiled, and brought her sewing box, filled with all sorts of buttons. Helen picked out a little white button and gave it to her older brother. "Freddy, you hide the button somewhere's….and Fran and me, we'll close our eyes."

"Fran…" Helen whispered. "Go like this!" She whispered and covered her own eyes with her hands, she peeked at her little cousin to find her with her little eyes shut and her little hands covering them.

"No peeking, Helen…" Frances chuckled, joking with her.

"I'm not, Mama." Helen giggled.

"Okay! It's hidden! I hid the button!...Go find it!" Freddy exclaimed.

Helen grabbed Fran's little hand and went searching for the button. They looked all over the parlor and it wasn't there. She started to take Fran into Freddy's room.

"Nope Helen….You're ice cold!" Frances said.

"It must be in the next room!" The nine year old exclaimed. "C'mon Fran!" And so they began looking all over Frances' sewing room for that little button. Helen started look in the drawers of Frances' treadle sewing machine.

"You're cold…." Frances said. "Oh you're freezing!" She laughed as Helen and Fran went into Helen's room. "You're ice cold!" Helen and little Fran started to go near where the little button was hidden. "Oh, you're not as cold now! You're getting warmer!...You're even warmer!" Frances said as they inched closer and started looking in the buffet table. "You're really warm now!...Ouch you're hot!" She laughed.

"You're burning hot!" Freddy exclaimed as the girls looked in the drawer. "Button, button, who's got the button?" He chanted.

"Fran does!" Helen said, quickly placing the button into her little cousin's hand.

"Yay Fran!" Frances smiled, picking up her niece. "Did you like it? Was that game fun?"

Little Fran grinned and nodded her head. "Again!"

"Okay, we'll play again!" Frances grinned.

"Mama…" Freddy spoke up.

"Yes Freddy?…."

"Can I go hunting now?"

"Yes, you can…." She chuckled. "Just be back for supper…I packed you a bag of deer jerky and a few slices of bread though, and filled a couple of jars with water for you….They're on the kitchen table."

"Thanks Mama. Makin' me hungry already! I love your homemade bread!" Freddy smiled, hugging his mother. "Hey, I was wondering! At the mercantile, there's these trousers made of something called denim."

"Yes, I think I've heard of those…. Two men named Levi Strauss and David Jacobs patented them in 1873." Frances said.

"Can I buy a pair sometime?" Freddy asked. "I think they'd be good for huntin'." He nodded, sure of himself.

"If you raise the money, I don't see why you can't buy a pair!" She smiled.

"Thanks!" Freddy grinned.

"You're welcome." She smiled. "Now go get your coat. It's getting chilly….Winter's nearing."

"All right, Mama." He said, grabbing his brown leather and fox fur-lined jacket and 12 gauge 1887 shotgun that used to be his father's, and his provisions, and started out the door…

"Freddy…" Frances went outside before he left. "Here's an extra flannel shirt! You never know when you might need it….and for now, you can keep your provisions wrapped in it."

"Thanks Mama!" Freddy grinned. "Good idea!" He said, wrapping them in the brown flannel shirt.

"You're welcome!" She smiled. "I hope you get something!...Be safe!" Frances called as he walked up the slope to the woods and began his little hunting journey. He walked through the woods behind his little house, the fall leaves crunching at his feet, sticks and little twigs snapping as he stepped on them.

He thought he passed a few rabbits and a fox or two in the little holes, but that wasn't what the young eleven year old lad was after. He wanted a deer. Any type of deer! Buck, doe…maybe not a little fawn, but otherwise, it didn't matter to the boy, he was just wanting to get a deer…..So he walked some more until he came to the little clearing deep in the woods where he set up a salt-lick, and he waited in the bushes for deer to come to it. He waited until he thought he heard something, but his head snapped upward and saw it was just a couple of squirrels running along the branches of the trees surrounding him. Freddy waited for hours it seemed, and not a single deer came. The sky was turning the colors of orange and red now….the sun was setting.

Freddy Lay wasn't about to head back home without shooting anything, so he went deeper into the woods and went searching. He soon came across a rub, where a deer had used its antlers to mark its territory. He saw a good-sized buck by a tree over yonder, rubbing his large antlers against it. The eleven year old quietly took a few steps forward, making sure he couldn't be heard or seen. He was stalking the buck, moving inch by inch closer so he could get a good shot at it. It was almost dark now, it was getting a little hard to see the deer, but yet, Freddy was able to. This was his chance to land that buck! So, he placed the butt of his gun on his right shoulder, the stock of the gun in hand, aiming it at the buck, he pulled the trigger and fired, but it just missed him, so Freddy prepared his gun again and fired, and saw the buck drop to the ground. A good 'ole neck shot he saw it was as he inched closer to the fallen buck. He saw it was in fact, dead. "All right!" He exclaimed, right proud of himself.

Freddy looked around and finally realized it was dark, too dark to drag that buck down through the thick woods and down the hill to the house. "Guess I'll….I'll just camp here for tonight…." Freddy said, a little nervously. He did camp out in the woods with his dad, he knew what to do, how to build a shelter and everything,…but he never did it all by himself!

"Oh suck it up!" He told himself. And started gathering large fallen branches and came across some pine branches and other brush and made himself shelter against a sturdy tree, for the night. He put some more brush on the floor of his little 'place' so he was off the cold ground. Freddy undid the flannel shirt he used to keep his provisions in and spread the shirt on top of it. He took a few slabs of the deer jerky and the bread his mother packed for him. "Guess this is supper…" He said, eating a little and took one of his jars of water and drank some. He sat there awake, listening to the sounds of wild animals. An owl hooted from afar….Freddy thought he heard some raccoons or some fox or maybe some deer scurry around in the distance. He was a bit nervous that he was all by himself….but he knew how to take care for himself in the woods, though always with supervision... Right now, it was just his time to experience it by himself! He put the bags of provisions in his coat pocket and the jars of water next to him, and wearing his coat, he laid down on his little 'bed' and soon fell asleep for the night.

(

"You think he's alright out there?" Frances whispered, looking out the back door window towards the woods. She didn't see her son return, and she was really worried about him.

"He'll be fine, Frances…" Fred answered her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "He knows what to do in the woods….Freddy's able to take care of himself."

"Is Freddy gonna be okay out there, Papa?" Helen whispered. She had come out of her little room. The nine year old was also worried for her older brother. "I'm scared for him."

"Your brother will be just fine….You don't need to be afraid." Fred reassured her. "Now, you get back into bed…"

"Alright….Night Mama, Papa." Helen whispered and went back to her room.

"How 'bout you come back to bed too?" Fred whispered, laying a hand on his wife's shoulder.

Frances shook her head. "I'm waiting up for him…"

"You'll be waiting up all night for him, honey."

"I don't care…." Frances said, sitting down in her rocking chair, a blanket covering her legs. "I want to make sure my boy returns safely. Even if I have to stay up all night…."

"Want me to stay up with you?" Fred whispered.

"No, you go on to bed…" Frances told him. Fred leaned down and kissed her goodnight.

"You….are going to be one tired lady in church tomorrow morning…" He chuckled.

"I think I'll be okay…" Frances laughed a little. She accepted his lips in another kiss. "Goodnight…." She whispered and he went upstairs to bed.

**A/N: Levi Strauss: Mr. Strauss came to America from Bavaria in 1847 with his mother and two sisters. They arrived in New York where his half brother ran a wholesale business selling, among other things, various types of fabrics and clothes. After working for his brother for a few years, Levi decided to travel West to San Francisco and partake of the benefits of the Gold Rush. His original intent was to open a branch of his brother's wholesale business. Levi did this diligently for the next 20 years, acquiring a reputation as a quality supplier to small stores throughout the West.**

**His fate and the history of clothing would change forever when in 1872 he received an offer from Jacob Davis, a tailor from Reno Nevada. Mr. Davis, in order to improve the durability of the pants that he made for his clients, had been adding metal rivets to the highly stressed seams. The idea was successful and he wished to patent it. Lacking the money to do so, he turned to Levi for financial backing, and of course, a partnership. In 1873, the new partners received a patent for "an improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings", and thus the history of blue jeans as we know them begins. They started making "waist overalls" out of denim and cotton duck. They knew that the selling point of the new product was its durability, making it more appropriate for work clothes. Eventually, the cotton duck was dropped for the more comfortable denim. **

**The History of Blue Jeans and Denim: The company grew in size and fame. By the 1920's "waist overalls" were the most widely used worker's pants in America. The name "jeans", however, was not officially adopted until the 1960's. Levi Strauss and Co. recognized that it had no choice, as this was what the product was being called by the young, leisure loving teenage boys. The history of "waist overalls" continues as the history of blue jeans. "Jeans" is now generally understood to refer to pants made out of a specific type of fabric called "denim".**

"'**Button, button who's got the button?'" is a game my mother and her siblings would play when they would go over to Frances' house. There's many variations to the game, but in this chapter was exactly how they played it.**

**Interesting how the Germans eat, huh? Lol. They have the two breakfasts as I mentioned, lunch (depending on which part of Germany. Some don't eat lunch at all.) , supper…and during some part of the day, they will have a time where they sit down and have coffee and cake.**


	59. Chapter 59

Helen woke up early the next morning and went to where her mother was sleeping in the rocking chair. "Mama…" She whispered, running her fingers over her mother's bare arm. "Mama."

"W-what?" Frances stammered, her eyes slowly opening. "I was dreaming about your brother…." She whispered running her hands over her face.

"Bad dream or a good dream?" Helen asked.

"I'd rather not say…." Frances whispered and dabbed at her eyes. "Why are you up, sweetie?" She asked, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "Hm?" She said, and pressed the side of her face to her daughter's and then gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"I think Snooky's waking up…."

Frances chuckled. "I hear her now…..She's probably hungry." She said getting up and went into the kitchen and warmed up a little bottle the girls' mother sent with them. "Is Fran up yet?"

"No, she's still sleepin'."

"Alright, we'll get her up in an hour or so…" Frances said and went into Helen's room where the girls were and picked up the now crying two month old out of the little cradle and went back into the next room and sat down with her in the rocking chair. "Could you get her bottle for me, Helen? I think it's about ready."

"Okay Mama!" She said, walking off into the kitchen.

"Be careful now…." Frances told her and soon Helen came into the sitting room with the feeding bottle. "Test it on your wrist….Make sure it's not too hot."

"It isn't." Helen answered. "Can I feed her?"

"You can." Frances smiled. "But let me hold her, alright?"

"Okay…."

"Here…hold the bottle up just a smidge." Frances said, adjusting it a little.

"A smidge?" Helen giggled.

"Yes, a smidge." Frances laughed.

"You can feed her now, Mama." Helen said quickly, handing it to her.

"I can now, can I?" Frances chuckled.

"Uh huh…." Helen said.

"Well, okay…."

"You're better at it." The nine year old said softly.

Frances chuckled slightly. "I don't know how much better! I haven't fed a little one like this in years!"

"You fed me and Freddy in a different way….I remember you telling me." Helen turned a little reddish. "I kept asking about it." She chuckled.

"Yes…And after explaining it, I told you that someday you will too, when you have a little one of your own."

Helen nodded slightly. "Why doesn't Aunt Nona?"

"Well, some women can't breastfeed….or they choose not to, sweetie."

"Okay." She said quietly.

"My goodness, look at her go!" Frances chuckled. "She's nearly finished."

"Can you have a baby, Mama?" Helen asked.

"Excuse me?" Frances said, caught a little off guard.

"Can you have another baby?"

"Have you been spending too much time with your father, lately?" She chuckled, wondering if he had set their daughter up to this.

"I want a little brother or sister."

"We'll see…." Frances chuckled.

"I'd be a good big sister! I'd help you with it all the time, and play with it…and…"

"Helen!" She said her daughter's name, warningly.

"Yes Mama…." The nine year old said quietly and stopped talking.

"Well, I'm going to put Snooky back in the cradle…..and guess who gets to help me start on breakfast?" Frances smiled.

"Me!" Helen said excitedly. Her mother went into her room and set her baby cousin down in the little cradle, and then they both went into the kitchen to make breakfast. They made bacon, eggs and fried potatoes. Helen got little Fran up and they sat down to eat breakfast.

"Good morning." Fred grinned, coming up behind his wife. "Missed you last night…" He whispered, and kissed her cheek.

"I missed you too….but could you blame me for worrying?"

"Naw….I couldn't." He said. "I'll look up in the woods for him before I eat."

"Sounds like a plan…" Frances sighed, placing her face against his chest.

"He'll be fine…" Fred whispered, holding her closer.

"I'm just afraid something's happened to him!" She said, feeling tears well up in her brown eyes. "Like he could be seriously hurt….I had a dream about him this morning like that." She felt the tears fall. "My boy!"

Fred held her and tried soothing her as she cried in his arms. "I'm sorry…..I'm just scared!" Frances managed to choke out.

"I understand….but he'll be fine." Fred smiled. "You don't need to worry."

"I know….but it's hard not to." She whispered.

"I know." Fred said, brushing away tears from her cheeks with his thumb.

"Mama…"

"Yes Helen…." Frances said, turning around.

"Uncle Joe and Aunt Nona are here." She said looking out the window.

"I'll go get Snooky….and get Fran ready to go for me, please."

"Yes Mama…..C'mon Fran, let's go into the front room and get your toys." Helen said, guiding her little cousin. Fran and Snooky left with their parents and Helen went back to the kitchen table. Fred was getting his coat on so he could search for Freddy.

"At least sit down and eat a little something first, honey…."

"Guess it won't hurt…" Fred said, sitting down to some fried potatoes and a cup of coffee.

"Papa. You don't need to!" Helen said excitedly.

"What?"

"I think I see Freddy up in the woods!"

"He is!" Frances said and beat them both out the door and up the slope to the woods behind the little house. "Freddy!" She called to him, almost losing herself in tears.

"I got a buck, Mama! A huge one!" He grinned, dragging the large buck along with him.

"Great!….I knew you'd get one!" Suddenly, her bright smile turned to an awful look on her face as her son had screamed and a hand went to his leg.

"Freddy!" She screamed and ran through the woods to where he was, Fred and Helen followed her.

"Oh my God, he's been bit by a rattlesnake!" Fred said.

"Get it off!" Freddy screamed as the rattler kept biting and attacking the eleven year old's leg. "Get it off me!"

"Fred, go get the buggy whip!" Frances hollered. "I killed snakes when I was younger, I know what to do!...Fred…Go! Why are you just standing here?" She yelled, in tears. With that, Fred managed to run down the slope to where the buckboard was parked, and returned with the buggy whip. If he thought that the thought of it was too much for him, what he witnessed next was more than he could take! He couldn't stand the sound of that whip as he saw his wife attack the rattlesnake that was now on the ground and off of Freddy's leg. She had successfully killed the snake and went to her son who was laying on the ground, writhing in pain from his attacker. She ripped open his trouser leg and inspected the bitten left leg. Frances could see it was beginning to swell up and bruise. Through all the blood, she recognized the two small puncture holes from the snake's fangs.

"I think the snake was poisonous!" Frances exclaimed, starting to sob.

"C'mon! We'll get him to Doc Clark's!" Fred said, scooping his son up and ran to the back of the buckboard.

"Helen! Go over to your Grandparents' place!" Frances hollered. "They'll take you to church!"

"What about you?" The nine year old called back. She was still in shock and tears from all of this.

"I'm sure we'll get there eventually!" Fred called. "Now go!" And so they parted ways, Helen ran up the road to her Grandma and Grandpa's place….and Fred drove off, Frances sitting with Freddy in the back of the buckboard.

"Think he hasn't left for church yet?" Frances asked quickly.

"I don't know. But don't worry, either way, I'll make sure we catch them…."

"Mama…." The boy said weakly, laying there in his mother's arms.

"You'll be just fine Freddy!…We're taking you to Doc Clark's. You'll be just fine, sweetie!" She said, starting to cry and held him close to her. "You'll be just fine…." She kept saying, tears sliding down her cheeks as she saw him drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Guess…guess I shouldn't have…."

"Shouldn't have what?"

"Shouldn't have nagged you so much to go hunting….I'm sorry."

"Freddy, don't worry about that!" She said and held him and started crying again. "We're just focusing on making sure you get help! We'll get you to Doc Clark's and you'll be just fine!"

They made it all the way up Walker Street and saw Dr. and Mrs. Clark about to leave for church, Fred slowed them down and Dr. Clark of course, agreed to treat the boy.

Dr. Clark gave the eleven year old as much whiskey as he could take before becoming intoxicated, put gunpowder on the bite to burn the venom out and then he washed the wound and grabbed a bottle of ammonia and applied it to the snake bite wound. And then he tightly bandaged the wound with every few seconds, loosening it and reapplying the bandage.

Fred stood there watching the doctor as he worked on his young patient. Frances stood there, her face against his chest. She couldn't stand to see her child in such pain and the fact that this was such an emergency situation! She felt like she was going to break down and start crying again, but she felt her husband's arms wrapped around her which kept her strong.

"He'll be alright….won't he Doc Clark?" Fred asked.

"I believe so…..Nothing some encouragement and some good food won't fix."

"Good!" Frances smiled, dabbing at her eyes with her handkerchief. "Is it alright if we go to him now?"

"I don't see why not…" The doctor smiled. "Go right ahead."

Frances walked over to the little cot Freddy was laying on and sat down beside him. Freddy tried lifting himself, but she told him to stay lying down and to rest.

"Guess this was quite a hunting experience for ya…" Fred said.

"Yeah…" Freddy cracked a smile. "Sorry I kept nagging…."

"I told you not to worry about that…." Frances said, running her fingers through his reddish-brown hair. "I'm just glad you're going to be alright….My boy." She smiled, though tears were slipping down her cheeks. "How are you feeling right now?"

"Not too bad…." Freddy said. "And ya know what, Mama?" He grinned a little.

"What?" She smiled.

"I don't need to nag ya for whiskey no more neither!" He laughed a little. "Cause I tried it!" Freddy had a silly grin on his face.

"Oh hush up, you!" Frances laughed and leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"Did ya like the whiskey, son?" Fred chuckled.

"Naw, Papa…" Freddy shook his head…."Well,….maybe a little."

"Enough about whiskey!" Frances laughed. "You rest now."

"We gonna go to church later?"

"I think we better just take you home so you can recover. I'm sure everybody will understand the circumstance." Fred told him.

"Okay…."

**A/N: There were several treatments for a snakebite wound back then. I'm sure a lot of you are thinking the "suck and spit" method, where you make a cut in the puncture wound, and then suck and spit out the poison. I didn't want to use that method and I've heard it doesn't work too well anyway...so I used other methods I researched. Frontiersmen believed to put gun powder on the bite and set it alight it would burn the venom right on out...Ammonia was a common rememdy in the 1700 and 1800's...A very painful method was to take a knife and cut out as much of the wound and hopefully as much poison with it as possible...A poultice was sometimes applied, such as bark and gun powder...There was also the belief that drinking a large quantity of whiskey would counteract the snake poison.**


	60. Chapter 60

"Guess it's just going to be you and me today, Helen!" Frances smiled and wrapped an arm around her daughter. Fred and Freddy had gone on a hunting and fishing trip together.

"On your and Papa's anniversary…" Helen stated solemnly.

"Yes…but that's alright…." Frances smiled.

"Mama,….can we make something in the kitchen?" The now 11 year old asked. She was already so excited! Helen always loved to help her mother in the kitchen. "For your anniversary!"

"Why sure!" Frances smiled. "What are you thinking of making?"

"I don't know….I wanna experiment!" Helen giggled.

"Well, okay." She laughed with her daughter. "Let's see what we have in the kitchen."

"Can we make….a dessert?"

"Sure!" Frances smiled and they walked into the pantry and Helen started looking for ingredients. She found some apples and bananas and also found a few jars of maraschino cherries, cubed pineapple, mandarin oranges.

"Oh, so you're making some kind of fruit salad? That will be good Helen!"

"I think its sounds yummy! All my favorite fruits!" Helen grinned. "Can I use the whipped topping you made too? I think that would make it taste even yummier!"

"Of course." Frances smiled and the two of them started slicing the apples and cut them up in chunks, peeled and sliced the bananas, and opened the jars of cherries, pineapple, and mandarin oranges. They mixed all of the fruit together and added the whipped cream to it.

Frances took a little bite of their little creation they made and instantly loved it! "This is wonderful!...It's so good…I just might take the whole bowl and eat it myself!" She laughed.

"Mama!" Helen laughed and put her hands on her little hips.

"Here then!" Frances chuckled. "Have a little taste." She said, scooping a spoonful of the fruit salad.

Helen took the spoon and ate a little, then took a few more spoonfuls.

"Well? What do you think?" Frances chuckled. "Does the little cook like her own creation?"

"It needs something more…" Helen thought out loud, her blonde eyebrows scrunched together as she pondered on what next to put in it. Helen went back into the pantry to look for something. "Walnuts!" She said, and grabbed a container of them from off the second shelf.

"Great idea, Helen!" They then mixed the walnuts into the bowl of fruit salad.

"Perfect!" The eleven year old exclaimed after tasting it. "Here Mama, you taste it again." Giving her mother a spoon and watched her taste a little. "How is it? Good?"

"Eh…." Frances said.

"Eh?" Helen asked. She thought that was strange, considering a second ago, her mother loved it! The walnuts wouldn't make TOO much of a difference! Would they?

"Just kidding!" Frances laughed, and grabbed the bowl of fruit salad and took off into the next room!

"Mama!" Helen laughed and ran out of the kitchen and into her mother's sewing room. "Mama, give it back! Mama, please?" She laughed. "Mama!"

"You want it?" Frances chuckled.

"Yes!"

"You really want it?"

"Yes please!" Helen laughed.

"Are you sure?"

"Mama!" Helen exclaimed.

"Okay!" Frances giggled and slapped a spoonful of fruit salad on her daughter's face.

Helen opened her mouth and closed it….she saw her mother was still giggling at her. "Mama!" She laughed. "I didn't want it like that!"

Frances kept laughing and wrapped her daughter in a hug. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you!" Helen smiled.

"I'm sorry….I missed a spot!" And she covered Helen's other cheek with their sweet concoction.

"Mama!" Helen laughed. "You're silly!" Yet, she thought, what goes around, comes around, so she took a spoonful and flung it at her mother's face. Hit her right near her nose and on her mouth!

"I guess I deserved that, didn't I?" Frances chuckled and licked her lips a little. "C'mon. Let's go get cleaned up and then we can enjoy what's left." She laughed and they went into the kitchen and got a wet washcloth and cleaned their faces from the sweet dessert they made.

"What's this we have here?" Fred laughed as he and Freddy walked through the back door, returning from their little trek.

"Mama and I got in a fruit salad fight! But we cleaned up." Helen said.

"Y'all did, huh?" Fred grinned, and leaned in and kissed his wife on the lips. "Now that's how I like my kisses…Sweet." Fred smiled, and gave her a few more kisses on the lips.

"Lip-lock!" Freddy, who was now 13, piped up and grinned at them.

"Freddy!" His mother exclaimed and looked at him. "Goodness, I won't ask!" She finally said. "Just, don't say that again!" Frances said, blushing a little.

"Um,…pretty good fruit salad, too!" He chuckled a little. " Who's recipe?"

"Mine, Papa!" Helen beamed. "I made it! Mama helped!"

"Y'all did, huh?" Fred smiled, and held his daughter by her little shoulders. "Gimme a bowl! I'll have to try some."

"Okay, Papa!" Helen grinned, and fixed him up a bowl. "Want some too, Freddy?"

"Sure…" He said and slid into his seat at the table.

"What do you think of it, Papa?" Helen asked.

"Wunderbar...Dies ist sehr gute!" Fred spoke in German. Meaning, "Wonderful...This is very good!"

"Thank you, Papa!" She beamed. "How to do like it, Freddy?"

Freddy said nothing, and just kept eating….and eating. He even had a second large bowl of it!

"I'd say he likes it." Frances chuckled.

"I would too…" Fred laughed. "So what's the name of it, Helen?"

Helen thought for a moment to try and think of a name to call her sweet dessert. "Helen's salad!"

"That's logical!" Frances chuckled. "It's a fruit salad….and you're the one who made it."

"It's all I could think of." Helen shrugged her shoulders.

"It's a good name for it." Fred smiled at his daughter.

"So, did you two get something on your little trip?" Frances asked.

"Nope." Fred answered her.

"Oh, I'm sorry honey….don't worry, you'll get something the next time out…" She smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Can we go show her, Papa?" Freddy asked excitedly.

"What did you guys get me?" Frances grinned at her husband.

"As you might be able to tell….we didn't even go hunting today." He grinned a little, whispering to her. "We went to pick up an anniversary present. Part of it is out in the yard."

"Part of it?" She asked.

"C'mon outside." Fred grinned and grabbed her hand and headed out the front door to the slope by the barn. Already in the ground was some kind of bush.

"What is this?"

"It's a snowball bush, Mama." Freddy said, walking over to them. "Papa and I planted it instead of goin' hunting and fishing today."

"I see that." Frances smiled. "It's beautiful….thank you." She said touching one of the bright white blooms on the bush. The flowers so soft and delicate. She hugged her 13 year old boy, held his face in her hands and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for such a wonderful present….Love you."

"Love you too, Mama." Freddy smiled a crooked grin and went back inside.

"Come here…." Frances turned to her husband and embraced him. "I love you too….The snowball bush is just beautiful. Thank you." She smiled and kissed him.

"Happy Anniversary…." Fred grinned. "Been a wonderful 13 years…." He smiled.

"I hope to have many more." Frances smiled.

"So do I." Fred grinned and kissed her forehead. "Love ya." He whispered in her ear. "Still as pretty as the day I met you."

Frances laughed. "I highly doubt that!...This tiny figure has vanished! I've gotten pudgy…."

"Oh hush." Fred smirked.

"I have!...Now you…you haven't changed much." Frances grinned. "Those ears of yours! Still stuck close to your head! Like they're glued there." She giggled.

"Yeah, my ears." Fred chuckled.

"I like your ears." She giggled and cupped the side of his face.

"Well, anyway…." He chuckled and rolled his gray-blue eyes. "I bought two bushes….one for you, and one for me. How does that sound?"

"Nice." She smiled.

"This one is yours….that way, whenever I see it when I'm working out here….I'll think of you." Fred smiled whispering in her ear. "Freddy and I will put in the other one between your lilac bush and the tree. They're good use for hedges."

"They're beautiful too." Frances smiled wrapping an arm around his waist.

"They bloom year round….The green leaves turn a reddish tinge in the fall, and berries appear."

"Guess it's a good wildlife attracter."

"Oh yeah…" Fred said, rubbing her back as they walked up the steps to go back into the house. "Deer and the birds will be all over it come fall."

"Good….I could sit in my rocking chair and watch those deer all day if I could. Until they run up into the hill."

"Well, Freddy and I are gonna put in that other snowball bush." Fred said as Frances sat down in her rocking chair in the sewing room. She liked to relax there, and look out the window. "See you later." He said and leaned down and kissed her.

(

"Nice of you Papa….giving Mama the snowball bush." Freddy said, sinking his shovel into the ground and started digging so they could plant the snowball bush.

"Thanks…." Fred said, working on preparing the bush so they could implant it. "Bet you'll do things like it for your wife someday…"

"Wife?" Freddy blurted out. "I'm only 13! I never thought about it."

"Any girls you like? Have a little crush on, son?" Fred grinned and turned to him.

"Nah!"

"That Duggan girl's cute." Fred said.

"Irene?" Freddy exclaimed. "No she ain't! She's kinda ugly."

"That wasn't nice…."

"She don't need to know that, Papa!"

"Freddy…" Fred glared at his son. "I think you like her….you tease her enough." He chuckled.

"I jumped out from behind a tree and scared her."

"See what I'm saying?" Fred chuckled.

"I don't like her!" Freddy insisted. "I just like messing with her!"

"Whatever you say, Freddy." He chuckled and they worked together to plant the new snowball bush.

**A/N: Ah….Helen's salad! Love that stuff! We make it on special occasions! Same recipe except, minus the apples. It's super yummy! :) **

**The snowball bushes! I remember the one that was between the lilac bush and the tree out in the backyard. My Dad ran it over with a lawn mower! Mom said to trim the snowball bush and get rid of the tree…but Dad trimmed the tree and got rid of the snowball bush! Ugh! Men! Lol!...Mom said there was the other one by the garage, I remember that one, but it's in a haze!...Both of the bushes were Fred's, I believe….Weird, huh? Lol. **

**Hehe! Fred's ears!….True physical feature! Runs in the family. Big ears, stuck close to the head. Lol. Thought it cute to put that in there. :)**


	61. Chapter 61

"Do we gotta go to church here tonight, Papa?" Freddy asked as they pulled up in front of an old country church on a Wednesday night. The two had gone on a summer hunting trip together in another Iowa county.

"Yeah, we do, Freddy." Fred chuckled.

"But I don't know anyone here!" The 14 year old complained a little.

"You'll be fine, son. I'm sure they have a little program for folks your age. You'll have fun."

"Fine…" He said as they walked the path up to the church and walked inside. They took a seat near the back as the service started and the pastor stepped behind the pulpit to lead a congregational song and then went on to introduce the visitors as was the church's custom, and of course addressed Fred to introduce himself.

"Ah…I'm Fred Lay and this is my son Fred Jr.….Been on a little hunting trip and thought we should stop in tonight."

The pastor then thanked the visitors for coming and dismissed the teenagers and children and they started down the left, right, and center aisles out the church's back doors. A girl about Freddy's age spotted him and stopped by their pew.

"Would you like to come outside with us?" She smiled. "We're gonna have preaching just like the adults….but we have games we play."

"Um….I'm fine staying here." Freddy was beginning to get a little nervous.

"Are you sure? I'll stay with you and show you how we do things…if you want to." The girl smiled a little at him.

"Go…You'll have fun." Fred nudged him.

"Well….okay." Freddy grinned a bit and walked off with the girl outside.

"So….I know your name. Fred, right?" The girl smiled, and leaned against a tree. The children and teens all gathered near it so they could have their Bible lesson.

"Yeah….but you can call me Freddy." Freddy whispered. "Your name?"

"Rachel…." She whispered, smiling at him, and then she looked up lay preacher who was beginning his sermon.

"Nice to meet you." Freddy whispered. He was beginning to like this girl.

While they were all outside, the adults were inside the church, the pastor's sermon in full swing. Every now and again, Fred noticed a woman in her late 50's looking back at him. She was sitting next to her husband and in the pew with them were two of their adult sons and their wives. Fred kept wondering why the woman kept looking back at him. Chalked it up to him being a visitor, of course, and tried to listen to the sermon.

The young children and teenagers had their lesson outside and now were playing outside. They divided the older ones from the younger ones and started running races. They drew a line in the dirt and ran to the tree, around it and back. Freddy was up against a boy named Joel, who was a year older than he, and he was fast. Freddy kept up with him and even had gotten ahead of him on the way back the second time and beat him!

"You're good!" Joel told him, slapping him on the shoulder. "Wanna race again?"

"Sure!" Freddy grinned and crouched down on the ground to be in a ready stance to run.

"I….2…3….STOP!" One of the girls shouted and Joel flinched like he was about to run.

"Awwwhh…Got you, Joel!" She laughed.

"Quit fooling around, Alva!"

"Fine!...1…2….3….GO!" She shouted. And the boys took off! For awhile they were neck and neck, but then Freddy shot past Joel, ran around the tree and darted back to the finish line. Out of breath, he acted like he collapsed on the ground on his back and lay there, catching his breath. After a few seconds, he got up.

"You're a great runner, Freddy! Good job!" Rachel smiled at him.

"Guess I got practice from running from my little sister." He laughed, wiping the dripping sweat from his face on his shirt. Rachel laughed a little at his comment, and talked with him awhile until the adults had come outside as they were finished with their service.

"Have fun, Freddy?" Fred asked him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah Papa." He grinned. "Rachel showed me how they do things here."

"She did, hmm?" Fred grinned, crossing his arms across his chest. He saw how cheerful his son was now and had a feeling he liked this girl.

"Yeah, Papa."

"Cute girl…isn't she?" Fred whispered in his ear.

"Papa….." Freddy muttered.

"Sorry…" Fred chuckled. "Thanks for showing my boy around, young lady…..Your full name?"

"Rachel Argall." She smiled and nodded.

"Nice to meet you." Fred nodded at her. And suddenly turned around as he heard someone's voice call out to him. The woman who he saw kept looking at him in church approached them.

"Sir, we're so glad you came tonight." The woman shook his hand, but couldn't release and just stared at him.

"Um….is there a problem?" Fred chuckled.

"Oh….Oh, how foolish of me. I'm sorry…I'm sorry, but you look familiar to me is all."

"Guess we all have someone that looks similar to us in the world." Fred chuckled.

"Yes….I'm sure that's probably it." She laughed. "I'm so sorry…..I'm most likely confusing you with somebody else."

"That's quite alright ma'am, I understand."

"Well, again, I'm glad you and your son came tonight. Your names again? I'm sorry, I'm terrible with names…"

"Fred J. Lay…and my son Fred Jr." Fred shook the lady's hand again. "And yours?"

The woman stood there, like she was frozen again.

"Ma'am?"

"Oh…Oh, I'm sorry. Jane Argall….Again, I'm sorry…I hear your name, I see you….and I just feel like I know you!"

Fred thought a moment, looking quite puzzled. "I'm sorry….I can't think of how we would know one another.

"Perhaps it's just a little coincidence." Jane smiled and walked off with her daughter. Minutes later, she came up running to their buckboard.

"I can't get it out of my head…..Just answer me this, were you adopted as a child?"

"Um…yes, I was." Fred said solemnly.

"By a couple named the Beck's…." She breathed.

"Why, yes."

"Oh dear Jesus, I thought so." She said. "I know you don't remember, but I and my husband Todd, we babysat you when you were 3 and 4 years old. About that age….Then Amos came and wanted to adopt you….You left us weeks, maybe months later, I thought my heart was broken." She said, getting choked up a little.

"Amos Beck…." Fred said with a grin. "Now I know you must know me! He's was my adopted father."

"I just had feeling!" She smiled. Jane breathed in and let it out. "In a way, you were like my son. I treated you as if you were my own. My soul, I feel like I should hug you!...May I?"

"Go right ahead." Fred smiled and extended his arms to her and wrapped her in an embrace.

"Well, I see you've met my youngest, Rachel….I have 5 older children. My boys, James, Cole, and Griffin are grown, ages 31, 26, and 23. They have families of their own now….and David, Amelia and Rachel are still at home. David's 18, Amelia's 16…and you know Rachel. She's 14, near your son's age…I can't believe it! Your son. You have a little family of your own!" Jane smiled.

"Been married to my lovely wife of 14 years, Frances….she's back home with our daughter Helen. Helen's 12…going on 20 it seems sometimes." He laughed. "And my boy, Freddy." Fred wrapped an arm around his son, ruffling him up a little. "He's 14 years old."

"Are you living in Iowa?"

"Yes….Dubuque."

"Marvelous!" Jane smiled.

"By any chance…would you know where the Beck's live?" Fred asked her, a little unsure if he should. "Are they still alive?"

"Oh yes I believe so! Last I heard they were living in the next county. I have their address back at our place….Come! And you two can have supper with us."

"Oh no, Mrs. Argall…." Fred started to say.

"I insist!...You're like my own son, Fred!"

So they headed over to the Argall farm, had supper with them and enjoyed each other's fellowship. And later that night, Fred and Freddy slept out in the barn, planning to leave the next morning so they could visit the Beck's, and head home.

(

"You nervous, Papa?" Freddy asked as he and his father were outside the house that they believed to be the Beck's.

"Yeah…son…" Fred breathed and coughed a little and ran a hand over his face and blond hair. "I haven't seen these two in….25 years. I left them when I was 15 years old."

"A year older than me."

"Yup." Fred choked out and knocked on the wooden door. A young girl about 12 years old opened the door.

"Hello?"

"Oh….I'm sorry….I think we might have the…wrong house or something." Fred stumbled over his words.

"Who's here Angelika?" Another girl asked coming up behind her, followed by another. They were 13 and 14 years old.

"I don't know, Annette. Some man and a young boy. "

"Girls, step back!" A woman in her late 50's said to them.

"Yes, Oma." They said, and obeyed their grandmother. "How can we help you, sir?" She asked.

"I'm sorry…I think we've found the wrong place or something…..I'm looking for a Mr. and Mrs. Beck."

The older lady chuckled. "Which generation of Becks?"

"I'm sorry?" Fred mumbled.

"Never mind. Whom are you looking for?"

"An Amos Beck…I'm sorry ma'am…I really think we've gotten the wrong place. I'm sorry." Fred said, and he and his son turned around to leave.

"Now stop it right there!" She laughed a little bit. "My husband's name is Amos….I'm Emma."

"You call me, dear?" A frail, older man hobbled to the door.

"Amos…go sit yourself down. You can't always be up and about so much nowadays. Doc said for you to rest! I don't want you breaking something again!"

"Pish posh!" He muttered with a wave of his bony hand. "Who is here?"

"They haven't said who they are! Now go sit down!"

"Well, bring them in for coffee or something!"

"Come in, won't you?" Emma smiled.

"Thank you." Fred said, walking into the house with Freddy.

"So what's your name, young man?" Amos said, looking in Fred's direction. They sat down in the kitchen to have coffee. "I'm sorry…nearly half blind. So I can't see you all that well."

"Young man…I like that." Fred chuckled. "I'm 40. Guess it seems young to you, eh?"

"That it does… I'm 76 years of age...seems like I grow older by the minute...but I ain't talking ages!" He chuckled. "I'm talking names right now!"

"My name….is Fred Lay. This is my 14 year old son, Fred Jr." Fred managed to say. He wondered how this was going to pan out.

"Come again?"

"Fred Lay!" He said a little louder.

"I'm sorry boy, I still can't hear you!"

"He says his name is Fred Lay!" Emma almost shouted at him.

"Well….I'll be damned."

"Amos! Watch your language! Not only your own granddaughters….but there's a young boy here!"

"What's the youngin's name?"

"Fred Jr.!" Fred said loudly.

"Very nice….Very nice." Amos said and sipped his coffee.

"Do you remember me, Amos?"

"What?" He asked, putting a hand to his ear.

"Do you remember him, dear?" Emma shouted.

"Of course I do!….Been quite some time. Hasn't it, son?"

"Yes….It has!" Fred said.

"Remarried a few years later after the wife passed on, to a woman with a boy of her own. Helmut is his name. He was oh, 13 when I married Emma….. He grew up. Married a sweet young thing named Hildeyard…and they have three even sweeter girls! My granddaughters, Peha, Annette, and Angelika."

Fred smiled at Amos filling things in for him….and silence set in until Fred spoke up. "How did….how did Leah die?"

Amos sighed. "Poor soul….lost her mind…it seemed. I took her to every doc in Iowa…..nobody could help her. All she did was sob, couldn't eat….drove herself to the grave."

"I'm….I'm sorry to hear that." Fred said, tears glassing over his eyes.

"She's buried out there…..under the old oak tree." Amos said, pointing to the window, where you could see the very spot where her earthly body was placed.

**A/N: Emma Beck, her son and daughter-in-law named Helmut and Hildeyard and their three daughters, Peha, Annette, and Angelika Beck are some of the descendants of Fred's adopted parents. My Grandpa and Grandma visited them over in Germany on August 30****th****-31****st****, 1986. They said the Becks were a most wonderful people and a great pleasure to visit.**


	62. Chapter 62

"You can go out and visit the grave if you'd like to, Mr. Lay." Emma Beck told him, as she saw him slouched over in his chair, unshed tears in his eyes. "Say goodbye….pay last respects."

"Thank you, ma'am…" Fred answered hoarsely, rubbing the palms of his hands. He sighed a little and got up and walked outside. He trudged slowly through the yard and came to the oak tree and stood under it. A few steps away from it lay a stone, with the name L. Beck carved in it. Fred stood there for minutes with his hands in his trouser pockets. He was silent for a long time…until he spoke, his voice cracked and almost shaking….and it wasn't long until he couldn't hold the tears in anymore.

"I…I know now….I know you…" He started to say, and looked up. "What am I saying?" He looked up at the sky through the tree branches and tried to think of what to say. "I don't know….whether…whether you meant what you did to this old boy….or…or if ya just…if you were out of your mind…and…and just snapped and wasn't aware of what you were doing!…." He finally got a few words out and then the tears came and overflowed. "I want you to know…." He almost whispered, his voice shaking. He ran a hand over his face. "Oh gosh!" He breathed and tried to collect his thoughts again. "To know that…I…I don't…I don't hate you anymore!" His knees buckled under him and he dropped to the ground, a clenched fist on the trunk of the oak tree, red eyes and his tear-soaked face staring at the little gravestone. "I don't hate you!….I'm not bitter anymore…of what happened!" He suddenly clenched his teeth in a small amount of anger and cried. "I used to hate it!...Hated it with a passion…I felt ashamed of how disfigured you made me! I hated you and what you did! And….I 'm sorry! I'm sorry for that now….and it's over. I don't feel that way. Not anymore….Because, these here scars….these scars…..they've taught me to love…..to have compassion for folks….to know…to know that no one's perfect. And most importantly…my scars show me the physical hurt is over! My wounds are healed…..but…but one thing I never took care of, was my emotions through it. My emotional scarring. I'm fixing that today, I think. That now I can finally say that my emotional scars are healed….and my hurt is over…today." Fred sat there and just lost it as he almost began to sob. He sat there crouched against the tree for a long time and felt his eyes dry up. "It's over and it's done with right here…..right now….today."

Fred sat there and finally felt peace in his heart. Like everything was alright now. He left everything….all the hurt…..his feelings from his abuse he suffered….the anger….the shame. You could say it was all buried right there….under the old oak.

"You okay, Papa?" Freddy spoke up and Fred turned his head and saw his boy standing there.

"Yeah…Yep, I'm alright….I'm okay. Now."

"She your adopted Mama?" Freddy asked, looking at the gravestone.

"Yeah…." Fred managed to choke out. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. By law she was."

"Why say that?...Didn't she love you Papa?"

"That….That I don't know, son." Fred said quietly. "She could have….towards the end. And I wasn't there for her to say so…."

"Mrs. Beck is wanting us to stay for supper." Freddy announced. "Are we gonna, Papa?"

"Sure." Fred smiled. "C'mon….let's head inside."

"Mr. Beck is your adopted Papa."

"Yeah…He is." Fred smiled, and put his arm around his son, walking into the house.

"So he's my adopted Grandpa." Freddy smiled.

"I think Amos and I would be honored to be so." Emma smiled at him.

"I had a feeling you would." Fred smiled. "Guess I'm your son then."

"And there's another honor for me…..but I feel Amos always claimed you as his own." She said, wrapping her arms on her husband's shoulders.

"He did….." Fred said solemnly. "I….I never could call him my Pa. It…It isn't too late to do so…..Is it?" He spoke, and tried clearing his throat.

"No….I don't think so." Emma said. "Not until you're dead!"

Fred laughed a little. "I think I like that."

"'Course you don't wanna die, Papa!" Freddy joked. Which made everyone laugh.

After the laughter had ceased, Fred looked at Amos and spoke up. "I'm glad I can finally call you my Pa."

"Glad to finally hear it, son." Amos said.

(

As Fred and Freddy headed home, back in Dubuque, Frances and Helen were outside between the rock wall and the summer kitchen, stoking up a fire so they could heat up water to wash the family's clothes.

"Mama! It's way too hot to be doing this!" Helen complained a little, red faced and sweating.

"Well, roll your sleeves up, honey! On a day like today, you'll overheat!" Frances exclaimed, helping her 12 year old daughter with the sleeves on her floral print blouse. She rolled them up to her elbows, as they were on her own light pink blouse.

"Why do I gotta wash Freddy's underthings? It's disgusting!" She said, holding up a garment and wrinkling her nose. "He's always so….sweaty!"

"That's the way it is. I'm sorry." Frances chuckled…just a little bit. She went back to scrubbing a shirt of her husband's, when she noticed a lady walking up the path to their little house. She put a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun. "Oh, Helen's here!"

"Hello, my friend!...Such a hot day today, isn't it?"

"Blazing!" Helen Clark Spencer replied.

"Why don't you come in for a glass of ice cold lemonade?" Frances smiled.

"Sounds wonderful." Helen Spencer replied, walking into the house with Frances and her daughter. "I do have something I need to tell you, my friend. Its why I came."

"Let's get that lemonade and then you can tell me." Frances said, grabbing three glasses and the pitcher of the cold, tangy drink.

"Agreed!" She smiled, grabbing her glass of lemonade.

"So…What is it my best friend has to tell me?" Frances smiled, taking a sip. "Good or bad news?"

"Both…all depending on how you look at it."

"Okay…What is it?"

"I'm sorry I didn't let you know sooner…." Helen said. "I didn't know how I should break this to you."

"Helen, just tell me!" Frances said. "You're my best friend! We've been friends since I was about 9, maybe 10 years old! You can tell me anything!"

"Ross and I are moving, Frances…I'm giving up my job as a midwife. My mother will tend to that… I'm going to be a school teacher from now on. It's been my dream since as long as I could remember!"

"Where…and when are you moving?" Frances asked.

"Denver, Colorado…..we're leaving…in a few days."

"You'll write me….won't you?"

"Of course!" Helen said, getting choked up already. "You're my best friend! Why in the world wouldn't I?"

"I'll miss you!" Frances said, hugging her and felt tears well up in her eyes. "But what kind of a friend would I be if I kept you from doing what you really wanted to do?"

"You don't know how much I'll miss you, my friend. You've taught me so much….about life." Helen said. "I'll write you whenever I can. I promise."

"I know that." Frances smiled.

"Can I say goodbye to my little namesake?"

"Of course!" Frances laughed. "Not so little anymore though!"

"Mama!"

"You're already a beautiful young lady is what your mother's saying." Helen Clark Spencer chuckled, hugging the 12 year old. "You be good for your Mama."

"I will." Helen smiled.

"I best be going…." Helen Clark Spencer said, wiping tears from her eyes. And she left and headed home. Fred and Freddy walked through the door after a while.

"You look like you've lost your best friend…." Fred said, concerned about such a sad look on his wife's face.

"No…she's just moving away."

"I'm sorry." Fred said, placing a hand on her back and rubbed it as to comfort her.

"You alright, Mama?" Freddy asked.

"Yes…I'm fine, honey." She smiled a little. "Thank you."

**A/N: In the 1920's Helen Clark Spencer left Dubuque, IA (where she also taught school) and went to Denver, CO to be a schoolteacher there…..Frances and Helen, who had been the best of friends since 1903, wrote letters back and forth to each other for years until they finally stopped sometime in the 1930's, as I assume life just caught up with both of them.**


	63. Chapter 63

The schoolchildren were let out of the Holy Ghost school one crisp November afternoon in 1902 as the school day was over. Children started pouring out of the little building so they could get to their warm homes, as it was starting to get cooler now.

"Fran, Snooky….Helen and I will walk you home, all right?" A 16 year old Freddy told his cousins, who just were the cute ages of 7 and 5.

"Thanks Freddy."

"You're welcome!" Freddy smiled and grabbed Snooky's hand. "I wouldn't let any little 2nd grader and kindergartener walk home all by themselves….By the way Snooky, do you like kindergarten now?"

"Yeah." Snooky, who's name was Leonona, said quietly.

"I remember when I started kindergarten." Freddy said as the four of them set out down the road to the Gruber's place. "I wasn't scared a bit…I guess it's different since I'm a boy. But you had quite the guts to come back even though you were scared."

"Guts?...Yuck!" The 5 year old exclaimed, wrinkling her nose and making a disgusted face.

"It's just an expression." Helen said, who was now 14 years old. Her hair had turned a light brown, and was no longer the golden blond color when she was a toddler . "Why anyone would use one like that, I don't know…." She said, while Freddy was chuckling away. "But that's Freddy for you." Helen rolled her brown eyes. "He's just a silly boy, isn't he Fran?" She giggled a little.

"Yeah!" Fran grinned, her eyes squinting. "Joey's silly too." She said, referring to her and Snooky's 3 year old little brother.

"I can't wait till Joey and Pudge are older….then I can teach them all I know." Fred grinned.

"Oh boy…" Helen rolled her eyes again. "I'm guessing you don't have just hunting in mind."

"Maybe and maybe not." Freddy chuckled.

"Oh hush up!" Helen laughed and pushed him a little. "Isn't Pudge so cute?" She said, changing the subject to their 4 month old baby cousin, who's name was actually George Thomas Gruber. "Those cute chubby cheeks of his!"

"He's ALL chubby, Helen!" Fran giggled. "That's why we call him Pudge!"

"He's still cute." Helen smiled.

"Mama got him to sit up on his own the other day."

"Really?"

"Uh huh!" Fran said excitedly. "And he rolled over too."

"Neat."

"Snooky, are you cold?" Freddy asked the 5 year old. Her little body was already shivering in this cool weather. "Want my jacket?"

"Yes…please." She chattered.

"Here you go…" Freddy said, taking off his fall brown leather jacket and placing it around the little girl's shoulders.

"Thank you….Its furry!" She giggled, and ran her little fingers over the collar.

"It's mink…..You know I trap them, right?"

"Yeah." She said, and they all walked up to the girls' house and went inside.

"Thank you so much for walking the girls home, kids."

"You're welcome, Aunt Nona. We like doing it." Helen smiled. "Hi Joey!" She grinned as the little 3 year old wrapped his little arms around her legs, tugging on the skirt of her dark blue dress. She bent down and picked up her little cousin.

"Kiss?" She asked and he gave her a smooch on the cheek. "Thanks Joey boy." Helen giggled, kissed him on the cheek in return and set him back down.

"Well, we better get on home….Mama's waiting for us and I wanna go hunting." Freddy smiled.

"We'll be over tomorrow to pick the girls up for school, Aunt Nona."

"Alright, thanks kids." She smiled.

"Say hi to Uncle Joe for us and give baby Pudge a kiss from me!" Helen smiled.

"Alright, I will." Nona chuckled. "Bye-bye, you two."

"Bye, Aunt Nona!" Freddy waved and the two teens walked off down the road to go home. They came about half-way down the road when someone caught their attention. "Freddy!"

"Freddy!" They heard a cute little voice call to them and turned around and saw it was Snooky running up to them. "I forgot to give your jacket back to you!"

"Thanks Snooky." Fred grinned a little at his 5 year old cousin, as she gave him his mink jacket and also a hug. "Bye now."

"Bye Freddy!...Bye Helen!" Snooky waved and ran back to the house.

"Bye-bye!" Helen called after her and then she and her older brother walked on home. "She's got the cutest nickname." She smiled.

"Better than….Moanie!" Freddy laughed, and moaned out his sister's nickname their grandfather, George Gruber Sr. called her.

"Shut your mouth!" Helen shoved him. "Sure I don't really like it, but I let Grandpa call me it."

"Why?" He laughed.

"To make him happy." Helen smiled a little.

"You know, Papa says that in Germany, Snooky is actually spelled Schnucky. I think I'll call Leonona that from now on. It still sounds the same."

"Of course it does!" Helen said. "it's the same name, but spelled differently, Freddy." She giggled.

"Was thinking of calling her Schnuck….but that doesn't sound too good."

"No….it doesn't!" Helen laughed and it even got a chuckle out of Freddy. "Anyway, it's better than Leonona Agnes!" She said, making a face. "What in the world was Aunt Nona thinking?"

"Well, a combonation of Uncle Joe's middle name Leo, and her name Nona." Freddy said.

"I know that!" Helen rolled her eyes and gave him a look. "But…Agnes?"

"Agnes is one of Aunt Nona's middle names." Freddy said. "Why are you carrying on about it, Helen? You don't need to name your kid that!" He laughed.

"I always think I'll have a boy first. Mama did."

"Now that don't mean nothing."

"How do you know? You're a boy!" Helen said.

"Well, how do you know?"

"I don't." She said quietly.

"See?" Freddy grinned slyly. "Besides, you're only 14….You got plenty of years before you have a kid. And I'll marry off first anyway."

"Who says?" Helen spat.

"I'm older than you are."

"Now that don't mean nothin'!" Helen said, her hand on her hip, staring at her brother.

Freddy laughed at his younger sister. "C'mon! Let's get inside…its chilly!" He said, and ran across the little bridge on Peru Road, and down the road and turned at their little sidewalk leading to the summer kitchen steps. They walked through the kitchen door into the house.

"Hey Mama...Sorry we're a little late getting home. We walked Fran and Snooky home from school, and the walk back home was long too." Freddy grinned and gave his mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He was a few inches taller than she.

"Have you gotten taller?" Frances laughed.

"Guess so." Freddy shrugged, and grabbed a fresh slice of homemade bread Frances had set out to cool. "That's hot!" He exclaimed, after spreading some butter on it, and it was already beginning to melt.

"That's why you let it cool down, honey!" Frances laughed at her 16 year old boy.

"Nah! It's good that way!" He said, pouring himself a TALL glass of milk. "Mama…."

"Yes, Freddy..." Frances asked….paying attention to cooking supper at the moment.

"We're almost outta milk."

"Nonsense! I just…." Frances turned around and then looked at her son. "Honey!" She laughed, placing her hands on her hips. "You're not supposed to take half the pitcher!"

"But, I'm thirsty!" He said, taking another hunk of the bread. "Hungry too."

"You won't be hungry for supper."

"Sure I will." Freddy said, biting into the bread, slathered with melted butter.

"Well, we'll see, huh?" Frances muttered.

"Can I have some too?" Helen asked, grabbing a slice of the bread. "I'm real hungry!"

"Helen!"

"But, I'm hungry Mama!"

"Fine….but you better eat your supper."

"I will." Helen insisted and went into the other room, as did Freddy.

Frances went back to preparing supper, when her husband walked through the door. He came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, and let them trail down her upper body to her waist. "Good evening…Frisky." He grinned, kissing her cheek. "Wait a minute, maybe that's just me." He chuckled and started kissing all over her neck and face. "Yeah….It is." He laughed and went back to kissing her again.

"Fred…stop it." Frances laughed at him and tried to get out of his grasp, but he playfully grabbed her around the waist.

"You stop it." He grinned.

"I'm not doing anything." She chuckled.

"And that's….the problem." Fred grinned and gave her a kiss on the lips, a tad rough but it was sweet.

"Okay, now let me go." Frances laughed. "Or supper will overcook." She chuckled again as her husband still had his grasp around her. "Fred…" She whispered at him as he kissed her cheek and jawline. "You're 42 years old and you're acting like you're…."

"24?" Fred grinned. "I'll take that…."

"Well, you're only as young as you feel."

"If that's the case…I'll take younger than 24!" He laughed, and leaned in and kept kissing and nibbling on the crook of her neck.

Frances laughed at her husband and turned around to start dishing up supper, a nice rabbit stew.

"On second thought maybe I won't….24's good." Fred smiled.

"How's that?" Frances smiled. Placing a bowl of stew on the table.

"I was 24…when I met the most strikingly beautiful young lady I ever laid eyes on….and she's still as beautiful now that's she's…34." He smiled, standing next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Thank you." She laughed and kissed him. "Sometimes,…I don't feel I look as beautiful anymore. I let this weight thing go a little out of hand…..after having two kids. I'd do it again though." She smiled.

"You are beautiful…to me." Fred smiled. "Preferably, I like how you've filled out." He laughed a little and gave her a light slap on the backside.

"Don't ever do that again, Fred John!" She exclaimed, but chuckled a little as he kept laughing.

"Go and get your kids for supper!" Frances laughed, doing the same thing he had done, as he walked off. Which sent a laugh from Fred. Frances rolled her eyes and continued setting the rest of the kitchen table.

(

"Where in the world do you two put it all?" Frances asked her two teenagers as they were eating supper. Freddy was already on his third large bowl of stew and Helen kept eating the bread. It was like they couldn't get enough! "You said you'd be hungry for supper. You are I'd say!" She chuckled. "It's a little ridiculous!"

"I think somebody's finally hitting their growth spurt!" Fred laughed and looked at his 16 year old son.

"Yes….but both of them at the same time?" She said. "There won't be enough food left for the two of us." Frances laughed.

"I don't think it's much of a problem!" Fred chuckled, putting an arm around his wife. "Let them be…..They're both growing up….Physically anyway, but I'm sure it won't be too long before they're both married off and out of the house."

"Oh, don't get me crying…." She said, laying her head on his shoulder. "But you're right, they're both growing up."

"No, Helen's just growing out." Freddy chuckled, but Helen shot him a mean look.

"Has your voice changed, son?" Fred asked. "Seems lower to me."

"Guess so." Freddy muttered.

"I remember when it kept squeaking!" Helen said. "So you better shut up about how much weight I've put on….."

"They're curves, Helen." Frances told her daughter.

"Yeah, in the wrong places!" Helen said.

"It's all that food you eat!"

"You eat way more than I do, Freddy."

"Speaking of eating, why don't both of you quit arguing and eat!" Frances laughed.

"Yes, Mama." Helen obeyed.

"Freddy…" Frances looked at her son.

"I couldn't eat another bite, Mama." He insisted. "I'm gonna go to my room and take a little nap or something….Too late to hunt now."

"Put your bowl in the wash tub."

"Sure thing, Mama." Freddy said, doing so, and passed through the kitchen, his mother's sewing room, and into the parlor, and into his little room. On the walls of his room were mounts of the game he shot. A deer mainly….but he also had a few skins of a raccoon, a fox, and a mink he trapped and saved instead of selling them like he usually did. There were a few of his guns hanging on the wall too…..His bed was sitting up against the wall by his closet, which was a walk-in closet, joining his room to his sister's. Freddy flopped on his bed, on top of his red quilt and soon closed his eyes for a nice nap after supper.

(

"How about we take a walk?...Spend some time alone together? Hmmm?" Fred whispered.

"I can do the dishes, Mama." Helen said. "Go enjoy yourselves."

Frances looked at Fred and grinned . "Well, husband….lead the way." And so they walked out the back door and down the little sidewalk and they started walking and came to a field, with a patch of woods just to the left of them, and they walked down what seemed like a path had been cleared out.

"I remember the day I met you here." Fred smiled, with his arm around her as they walked down the little 'path' in the field.

Frances chuckled. "I think it was more to the right of us, honey." She said, looking out into the little Iowa field full of prairie grass.

"Still in the same field." He laughed, gazing down at her a moment.

"I remember it was a warm summer day…." Frances smiled.

"When you got one look at this old boy who stole your heart." He grinned, kissing her forehead. "…forever."

Frances started laughing. "I don't think it went so much like that!" She smiled as she remembered that day, just about 18 years before. "I remember…feeling a little scared, seeing you…..and I was glad when you went up by the trees over there and the creek was in between us." Frances chuckled a little.

"Scared seeing me?" He chuckled. "Now I see why you snubbed me." Fred teased her.

Frances chuckled at him, sending him a look.

"Didn't say hello….didn't write me either." He laughed, shaking his head.

"Honey…" She laughed, rolling her brown eyes.

"I remember I proposed to you over by the creek…." He smiled down at her.

"No you didn't…." She laughed.

"What?" Fred looked at her and laughed.

"You proposed to me over by the house. It wasn't built yet though."

"Oh, that's right." Fred grinned.

"Somebody is getting older, I think." She laughed, laying her head against his chest. "It was our first kiss we had over by the creek." She smiled up at him.

"That's right….Guess I was just too lost in the moment, both times."

They started walking down to the creek together.

"I remember I was so nervous, but excited when you leaned in and kissed me."

"I thought you leaned in first…." Fred mumbled, looking down at her.

"Oh I don't know. " She laughed. "It was quite awhile ago…Maybe we both did. I think it was the sweetest I ever had…."

"Except for the longer one after that…" Fred said. "…and the one after that."

Frances look up at him and chuckled.

"I love ya."

"I love you too, honey." Frances smiled up at him.

"Are you gonna stand there grinning, or are you gonna kiss me or not?" He grinned at her.

"I don't think that needs to be answered…through words." Frances chuckled and kissed him, standing in the very spot just as they had years before.

"Why so much talk about this?" She laughed, sitting down on her "Story Rock" as she called it. "It's not even the anniversary of when we met….or our first kiss. If that even deserves an anniversary!" Frances laughed.

"I'm glad to remember." Fred smiled and kissed her cheek. "It's good to remember the little things….like a first kiss. Taking the walk here just made me remember, I guess." He smiled.

"I'm glad to remember it too." Frances smiled at him and accepted his lips again as he kissed her. "Well!….Now that we've both walked off some supper….Let's go see what our children are up to. Hopefully they haven't killed each other from fighting, yet." Frances laughed.

"Let's hope not." Fred chuckled.

**A/N: In real life, the year would actually have been 1928.**

**Joey and Pudge Gruber were added in this chapter! :) Joseph Leo Gruber Jr. "Joey" was born on July 30****th****, 1925. George Thomas Gruber "Pudge" was born on July 15****th****, 1928. Joe and Nona had nicknames for all of their children, as you'll see as I mention them throughout the story. Some of them are strange and you wonder why they called them that! Lol. Like, Snooky. I found out it's just a term of endearment in Germany, spelled Schnucky. And then there's Pudge. I thought that was cute! Of course, they called him that because he was always big! Through childhood and adulthood. He sure took after the Gruber side! :) I also thought it was interesting how the names kept getting passed down. Joey was named after his father. Pudge's first name was George. So he was named after his Grandpa George, and his Uncle George, except he had a different middle name than they did.**

**There were quite a few schools in Dubuque back then. Two of which I've mentioned in my story. The East Stone Hill School, and the Holy Ghost School. The Holy Ghost School, was a Catholic school, was where Frances went to school when she was a girl, and where Freddy and Helen went to school also, I believe. My Grandpa attended the East Stone Hill School half of the year so he could finish the 6****th**** grade. He also attended the Holy Ghost School, and also the Fulton School, as he called it, also known as Fulton Elementary School.**

**The field where Fred and Frances took the little walk is still there, now part of the neighbor's property. The creek is still there too, but it's changed a bit since the city redid the little wooden bridge, and made it into this double-wide concrete bridge.**

**As far as I know, Frances' "Story Rock" might be still there. Grandpa was looking for it when the men were re-doing the bridge and re-forming the creek, but he couldn't find it. It was a perfectly oblong rock, about 3 feet long and 12 inches tall. Some of the old Dubuque settlers had said it seemed like the rock had always been there, but how it got there, no one knew for sure.**


	64. Chapter 64

Big George Gruber was up early one Friday morning on July 31st to get ready to go to work. George was usually a night watchman for the Brunswick Hotel, but they had recently asked for him to work days, as well as nights for just a few hours. Franziska was busy in her kitchen making him a lunch that he could take along with him.

"You better not work tonight George Michael! One day of work is enough….I won't have you work nights like you have been…." Franziska kind of nagged him a little. "You're 68 years old! I think it's high time you start thinking of retiring."

"I'll stop working when I'm dead!" Big George said, with a laugh.

"I seriously think you should slow down a little….I'm not trying to be a nagging little wife. Really." She said, placing her hands on his broad shoulders and smoothed his button down shirt.

"I could think different." He chuckled.

"I love you….that's why…"

"Why you nag me?" George laughed and gave her a peck on the forehead. "Maybe I'll start listening….but for right now, I need to be going."

Franziska gave his arm a little squeeze, gave him his lunch and sent him on his way out the door. "I'll see you tonight at supper, love."

"Sure thing." He said as he started walking down the road.

(

"Mama, can you believe how hot it is today?" Helen groaned, while they were at the kitchen table canning the mulberries they picked up by the woods.

"Yes Helen…" Frances answered her 17 year old daughter, while she was trying to focus more on the canning, than the unbelievably hot weather!

"Mama it feels like it's near 130 degrees!..." She said in disbelief. "I don't even feel like eating tonight!"

"Then we'll just have cold ham sandwiches or something…."

"And a nice cold glass of water…." Helen said. "Water….I feel like a nice cold soak! That sounds just wonderful!" She exclaimed, nearly bolting up out of her chair. "I'll need the larger wash tub…."

"Go…" Frances smiled a little. "I'm nearly finished with the canning."

"You're making some into mulberry jam?" Helen asked.

"Yep….and as hot as it is, I feel I'd like to make some mulberry swirl ice cream."

"Wonderful!" Helen said as she was walking out the door with the wash tub. She walked down the couple of stairs of the summer kitchen and walked over to the well pump and began to pump the handle so she could fill up the wash tub. She saw someone she knew out of the corner of her eye, walking down the hill and she sprinted down their little sidewalk out by the lilac bush and met him.

"Hi Grandpa…" Helen said, giving him a hug and kissed his cheek and turned her head as he kissed her cheek, then she kissed his other cheek and he did the same. It was their normal 'hello' and 'goodbye' ritual he did with all of his granddaughters.

"Moanie!" Big George grinned, using her childhood nickname he gave her. "Such a beautiful young lady."

"Thanks Grandpa…..Isn't it so hot? You're so sweaty already! Then again, I am too!" She chuckled.

"I'm used to hot weather, child." He said, and then changed the subject. "Have you gotten a job yet, young lady?"

"Not yet….But I did get to babysit Pudge and little Butzi the other day for Aunt Nona." Little Pudge was now three and the Gruber's newest addition, Dolores Marie, nicknamed "Butzi" was already a year old now.

"Good!...You should work! Save your money!...And then…."

"Then what?" Helen giggled.

"Then give it to Grandpa." He chuckled.

Helen rolled her eyes and grinned at her Grandpa, knowing he was joking.

"Well, I've got to be going on to work now." He said.

"Love you, Grandpa!" She smiled and hugged him again. "But just wait a moment!" She said digging something out of her skirt. It was a pamphlet for a college.

"What's this now?" He muttered, holding the paper away from him so he could read it, taking his glasses out of his pocket and put them on. "Bayless Business College….Cornelius Bayless, President."

"It's a good school! I want to go there after I graduate next year. I want to be a secretary!" Helen said excitedly, her brown eyes shining with glee. "I haven't asked Mama or Papa yet….I'm just waiting for the right time to ask."

"They need more secretaries, they do." He muttered. "You're as smart as a whip, girl! You can do it."

"Thanks Grandpa." Helen grinned.

"I've got to be going. See you later."

"Bye!" Helen called to him as he left, and she went back to filling up the tub and went inside with it.

(

Big George did his usual routine of patrolling the hallways of the Brunswick hotel, climbing up and down stairs countless times. It was finally his lunch break, and it was such horrible heat, he knew he should get outside and get some water, but he was so hungry! Thinking more with his stomach than his brain, he sat down in the little room and ate his lunch alone. He felt he was getting used to the heat, but awhile later it became a little too hot for him to handle and he became weary. He tried making his way over to the windows and tried to open them but they wouldn't budge an inch!

"Feels like its 140 degrees…..Damn it." He swore. He wasn't sure if the heat was all just the hot weather, or if it was just his high body temperature. He felt very nauseous and soon began gagging there, as he was sitting on the floor. He soon became agitated that he couldn't get up from his spot and get to the door…..he tried to get up but was so dizzy he fell back down and just sat there. He stayed there so long, it seemed he was confused as to where he was and why he was there in the first place! He felt so flushed and hot! His face was red, and yet he wasn't sweating at all. George Gruber felt so confused by now. He thought he saw someone out the windows and through the window on the door. He tried getting up again but stumbled and laid there and soon became unconscious.

No one knows how long George was in that boiling hot room, perhaps it had been hours! A couple of his co-workers thought he had gone home for the day, until a few men were passing by that room and glanced in and saw Big George slumped over on the floor.

"It's George!...C'mon! That don't look good at all!" One of them said and a few rushed in the room.

"George!...George! C'mon buddy, can ya hear us?" A young man who was on the floor at the burly man's side, trying to get him to respond, while another was trying to check his pulse.

"George!" Said the other, while the other man kept on trying to feel a pulse, but couldn't.

"Oh my God…"

"What?" Asked another man, not knowing what was happening at the moment.

"He's dead."

"Heart attack?" The man guessed. "Heat stroke?"

"I'm not a doc…but as hot as it is today, heatstroke is a pretty good bet…but who knows? He could've had a heart attack."

"Dean, go get the doc and he can confirm things…and one of y'all go let the family know….." The man couldn't finish, but they all knew what he was going to say. They were all so solemn as Doc Clark came and confirmed the older man's death. As soon as she heard about it, his widow made it over as quickly as she could. Franziska Gruber was in so much shock and in grief, she held him one last time and began to sob nearly uncontrollably on his lifeless chest, calling out his name.

(

The Lay's were all sitting in the front room when they hear a loud hurried knock at the front door. Frances went and answered it.

"Mrs. Lay….You're the last of your family I've had to contact today. I'm sorry, but I have sorrowful news."

"Yes?" Frances asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"I'm so sorry…your father…."

Frances stared at the young man, not sure if she wanted to know what he was about to say next.

"Your father's passed away. Of a heat stroke…Today about 1:30 or so, we think…..I'm terribly sorry."

Frances covered her mouth and nose with her hands, as she felt tears well up in her eyes, she turned her face away from the man, not wanting him to see her cry.

"Again,…I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Lay…Let us know if we can do anything for you."

"Thank you…" She muttered, knowing she couldn't hold the tears in any longer. She heard the man as he left and so she slipped back into the house. Her gaze immediately met her husband's, and she nearly fell into his arms and started crying, and soon her cries became hard, rough sobs.

"Pa…Pa passed away of…of a heatstroke today at work!" She sobbed. Fred held her closer to him as she stood there sobbing. Tears were streaming down Helen's face and Freddy was sitting on the floor with his forehead pressed against his arms. He soon felt tears streak his handsome face, but wouldn't let them see him cry. He was now a young man of the age of 19.

"I can't do this….." Frances muttered. "I just can't do this right now…..I'm sorry you had to see me like this!" She sobbed and ran through her sewing room, into the kitchen and locked herself in the pantry.

Fred gazed in her direction and then looked back at his two children and his 17 year old daughter came to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"It's alright…." He tried to soothe Helen too as she started crying on his chest. "I know it hurts….I know it hurts, but it's alright. We'll all get through this…..You okay?" Fred whispered when she stopped crying.

"Yes Papa." She nodded. Helen hugged him again and then went into her room.

"How are you holding up, son?" Fred crouched down by his son who was still sitting on the floor, both legs stretched in front of him, arms resting on his knees.

"Freddy…" He said again, trying to get him to talk about it all.

"Hard to believe he's gone." Freddy said hoarsely, and felt the tears wet his cheeks. "How's Grandma doing, you think?"

"I'm sure she's okay. I know your Mama will want to be over there as soon as we can." Fred told him, and looked at his son, straight in the eyes. "Now how are you doing?"

"I'm okay…..I'm not a kid anymore you know, Papa." Freddy told his father in a solemn manner.

"I know." Fred smirked and slapped his son on the shoulder. He went through the sewing room and kitchen so he could check on his wife. He rapped his knuckles on the hard wooden pantry door a few times and waited. "Honey…can I come in there, please?" Fred stood there silently and waited for an answer from her, but all he heard was her crying. "It'll be better if you talk about things like this…sweetheart." He whispered. Finally, he just took his little pocketknife and unlocked the pantry door.

"I'm here…You know I always will be when you need me." He whispered and crouched down beside her.

"I just can't believe he's gone…..It's such a shock to everyone!" Frances wrapped her arms around her husband and her head found his chest. And again the tears came. "We saw him just this morning…One moment he's alive and well, and the next you hear he's dead and gone!" She cried and buried her face in his chest. "I just can't believe it!" Frances sobbed.

"I know it's hard to believe…Very hard." Fred said quietly, as tears came to his gray blue eyes. This was his father-in-law! A man who had been like a real father to him. "We'll get through this together…..It'll be alright."

"I don't even know how my own mother is right now!" Frances cried.

"I'm sure John's with her….We can stop by tomorrow and see how she is."

"Early tomorrow. We need to be there." She said, wiping away tears. "I'm so…tired of crying." Frances breathed in and wiped the tears in her brown eyes.

"It's alright to cry…." Fred whispered. "You can't keep it all bottled up inside you."

"I know…I just don't like it that I unleashed it all in front of everyone." Frances said softly, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the wall behind her.

"I don't think it matters. The tears just come and you can't stop them."

**A/N: Big George Gruber passed away of a heat stroke on a Friday morning on July 31, 1931 at the age of 68. He usually worked as a night watchman in the Brunswick building, according to the book my Grandpa had written about our family. I was doing research by just looking up the word Brunswick in the Dubuque Encyclopedia and came up with the Brunswick Hotel. The fact that he was a night watchman sort of added up. So I'm thinking he was basically a security guard for the hotel. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong….but in this chapter it fits! :)**

**About the time I was beginning to write this chapter, a very close friend of the family passed away. It struck me pretty hard and I stopped writing for almost a week! I just couldn't write! I'd start crying again….But then a friend and fellow writer, Sand 'N Sable, told me to put my hurt in my stories again. So I did and I finished the chapter…finally. Writing how I felt was a lot like Frances' grief in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**George Gruber would always call his granddaughter Helen "Moanie" and he would always say the little saying, "Work! Save your money!...Then give it to Grandpa!" Even the day that he died he had said it. :)**


	65. Chapter 65

"Ma, how are you holding up, lately?" Frances asked, a hand on her mother's shoulder as they were beginning to look through all of the late George Sr.'s things. "I worry about you."

"What do I say to that?" Franziska thought out loud as tears welled up in her eyes. "The funeral was just three days ago! How do you think I'm doing?" She said, with anger, and yet with a mix of sorrow in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Ma." Frances said solemnly. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked." She and Franziska, along with Helen, went back to their task. Until Franziska couldn't stand it and started crying again.

"I couldn't even sleep in our bed these past few days! I've shared the same bed with that man for years! Now….I can't. I don't want to feel alone!"

"Oh Ma…." Frances started to say, wrapping her mother in an embrace.

"I feel alone….I'm all by myself!" She cried and put a hand to her face. "George Jr.'s married and left home. So has Joe….And you too…..And John's gone in training for the army….I'm all by myself in this house now! I am alone." Franziska cried.

"Ma, you're not alone. We're still here for you!...You know I live just down the road! You can come by any day, or I'll come here." Frances said softly, hoping that she was helping, instead of hurting.

"I don't know what I'm saying lately!...Just…just give me time! I'll be okay." She said, trying to turn her attention back to what they were doing.

"Of course, Ma." Frances said, hugging her mother again, closer this time. "I can imagine how you're feeling right now."

"Grandma…..I found something." Helen spoke up, coming in from the other room. "Some money."

Helen gave the coins to her grandmother and they all looked at them together.

"$20 gold coins. Two of them." Franziska muttered.

"Why only two?" Frances asked.

"I don't know…..Perhaps he had put it away for something…and forgot about it…..or didn't have time to add to it." She wiped away a tear and sighed after a long while.

"Put it away for things you need Ma, you can live off of it for a while."

"It's not like he left me with nothing….George did have some savings I knew about. I'll be fine on that…..I know what I want to do with this money."

"What's that, Ma?" Frances asked.

Franziska turned to her granddaughter and smiled a little. "Are you thinking about going to college next year, baby girl?"

"Yes Grandma!" Helen's brown eyes suddenly lit up and an almost electrifying little grin spread across her face. "I've been thinking about a certain college…..A business college."

"A business college…Oh, that's good." Franziska said softly and smiled. "What's the name of it?"

"Bayless Business College…it's here in Dubuque!" Helen grinned.

"Oh yes….I know where that is. In the Lincoln Building on Eighth and Locust…..Do you have a pamphlet with you now?"

"No, but it's at home, somewhere in my room!...Can I go get it, Mama?" She asked, turning to Frances.

"Sure…." Frances smiled and watched her daughter run out the door. She turned to her own mother and smirked a little. "Am I thinking what I think you're thinking about doing?"

"What?" Franziska smiled a little. "She wants to go to college. Why can't I give her the money to send her?"

"$40 dollars won't cover it….I'm sure they want much more. College is expensive."

"Might get her started though." Franziska smiled a little at her daughter.

"She'd be the first person in our family to go to college." Frances said.

Franziska nodded. "I know she'll make the family proud. She's so smart!….I know she'll be able to make it there….And it does my heart good to do this. I think George would've wanted me to."

)

Helen ran all the way down the hill, holding her skirt up almost to her knees as she went. She turned right and practically ran down their little sidewalk and to the house, bursting through the back door. She passed through the kitchen, and sprinted into her mother's little sewing room, she walked past her mother's treadle sewing machine that was against the wall and opened the door to her room and went inside, hurriedly looking through her dresser drawers for the little pamphlet from Bayless Business College she had saved away. Wasn't very long till Freddy came into her room through the walk-in closet that joined their rooms, and in Helen's room was another door, that behind it was the stairway leading up to the attic space with their parent's little room in the back.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Freddy asked. "What are you looking for?"

"My pamphlet from Bayless Business College! Have you seen it?"

"Why would I…." Freddy began.

"Never mind! I found it!" Helen almost shouted and turned around. She saw her older brother and just stared at him. "And why are you dressed up so nice?" She asked. He was wearing his second best outfit. A wine colored, tab collared, four button pullover-type shirt with tan and white vertical stripes and black canvas trousers. His dark reddish brown hair was combed nicely and neatly parted on the right side.

"I am going to take Irene out to lunch today."

"Irene…Irene Duggan…..You're taking her out on a date?" Helen couldn't believe it. Growing up, Freddy always claimed he didn't like her, and always had crushes on all the other girls….but never Irene! Things had changed.

"Yeah….Isn't she great?" Freddy grinned, leaning himself against the wall by the bedroom door.

"Sure….if you think so."

"Yeah, she's great." Freddy grinned. "Isn't she pretty?"

"Yeah, sure…..um….Freddy, I gotta go and get back with Mama and Grandma…See ya!" Helen said quickly, trying to scurry on out the door.

"Wait!...Where should I take her?" He asked.

"Shouldn't you have planned that in advance?" Helen asked her 19 year old older brother.

"Uh…..I was thinking about Al & Ray's Lunch….or that one restaurant, what's it called? "The Broken Spur!" That's the one!...I just wanted your opinion. You're a girl….You're better at this type of thing. "

"Al & Ray's Lunch. You want to take a girl…there?" She asked, almost in utter shock! "That amateur place?"

"What? It's a good place to eat!"

"Yeah, for boring old men!" Helen said.

"But that's their motto!"

"What? She asked, raising her eyebrows at him. "A place for boring old men?...That's their motto?"

"No! Their motto is "A Good Place To Eat!"…..Well, what about The Broken Spur? How about I take Irene there?"

"No! It sounds like a cowboy restaurant!...I bet all they make is Chuckwagon stew….and pork & beans….Cornbread fritters!"

"Helen, they have great food there….There's a salad bar too. Don't girls like that sort of thing?"

Helen rolled her eyes at her brother, and let out a frustrated breath. She really wanted to be going, and he was keeping her.

"A salad bar….A great salad bar! It's wonderful…Don't that sound like a good place?...Plus, they have live music every Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.…."

"Freddy…."

"What? Girls like music!"

"But it's Monday!"

"Well….if this date goes well…..maybe I can take her there again on a Sunday afternoon!"

"How about you take her to the Busy Bee Café. That's a great place!" Helen said.

"Great idea! Thanks!...I need to pick her up now, don't wanna be late!" He said glancing at his little gold pocket watch and he hurried out the door.

"Brothers!" She huffed and grabbed her little pamphlet and walked out the back door and ran up the hill to her grandmother's little brick house in the midst of the woods.

"Grandma! I found it!" She said, bursting into the house, nearly out of breath. "I found it." Helen smiled as she gave it to her grandmother.

"Tuition is $20 for four weeks of classes…" Franziska said, reading the information from the college brochure.

"Their courses are Shorthand and Typing, Bookkeeping, Arithmetic and lastly, Penmanship!" Helen beamed.

"Have it all memorized, do you?" Her grandmother smiled.

"I'm…I'm just…." Helen let out a breath and smiled. "…excited!...Very excited!"

"You really want to go to this school, don't you?" Frances smiled at her daughter.

"Yes Mama!...Oh, yes….more than anything!"

"Well, here's $40 to get you started…That'll give you eight weeks of classes." Franziska said, giving her the money and wrapping her up in a hug.

"Oh Grandma! I don't expect you to do this!"

"Now hush!" Franziska told her granddaughter. "I want to do this….."

"Well, I don't expect you to pay my whole tuition!" Helen said determinedly.

"I'll talk to your Papa….We'll work something out, Helen." Frances smiled, wrapping her daughter into a hug and rubbed her arm lovingly, as only a sweet mother can.

**A/N: While looking through her late husband's things, Franziska Gruber did in fact find two $20 gold coins. Big George probably hid small amounts of money and other important things everywhere in his belongings, as my grandpa, his great grandson, does today.**

**The Busy Bee Café was established in 1915. It was listed in the 1916-1917 _White's Dubuque County Directory._ The 1923 _Dubuque City Directory_ through the 1937 _Dubuque Consurvey Directory_ listed the address as 1958 Central Avenue. Owned for years by George Arvanitis. the Busy Bee Cafe at 1958 Central finally closed in 1998. Interest in preserving the sign for Dubuque led Terry and Darryl Mozena, Fran and Ellen Henkels and a dozen regular diners at the cafe to join together to purchase the sign for the Dubuque County Historical Society.**

**My Aunt Carol worked at the Busy Bee Café in the early 80's. :)**

**Al & Ray's Lunch: The 1934 _Dubuque City Directory_ listed the address as 401 Central Avenue. Their slogan was, "A Good Place to Eat." Their phone number was 2378! **

**The Broken Spur: The address was 345 Main Street, open seven days a week, noon lunches were served daily with a choice of many salads. A Sunday Special was their great salad bar and there was live music every Sunday afternoon, from 3 to 7 p.m. One of which was the "Jim Kohl Duo."**

**Bayless Business College was the first commercial college established in Iowa and believed the oldest school of its kind north of St. Louis and west of Chicago. The college, founded on September 1, 1858, by Aaron Baylies, originally used rooms above the old Log Tavern. The first students, enrolled on October 1, 1858, paid tuition of five dollars per course. Students were to supply their own spittoon. In its first year of operation, the school made a profit of just thirty dollars. **

**On June 16, 1862, Cornelius Bayless arrived in Dubuque. Although he and his cousin were nearly strangers, Cornelius was given a job as a teacher. By 1863, the two cousins were partners in the college. On August 2, 1863, Cornelius became sole owner of the college because of Aaron's death. Determined that the college would succeed, Cornelius entered upon an aggressive campaign using handbills and advertisements placed in the _Daily Times_ and _Herald_. By 1873 enrollment had increased, and additional room was needed. Better accommodations were found in the Ogilby Building. In 1874 the college was moved again to a building on Seventh and Main Streets. The reputation of the college graduates helped ensure prompt employment of those successfully passing the curriculum. Shorthand and typing were added to the previous curriculum of bookkeeping, arithmetic, and penmanship. **

**Growing enrollment led to the school being moved during April 1892, to the Lincoln Building at Eighth and Locust Streets. In 1908 many of Dubuque's most prominent citizens toasted the college's fiftieth anniversary. Bayless served as president of the college until 1909 when it was sold to Edwin B. Lyons.**


	66. Chapter 66

Frances rolled over in her sleep as she heard someone move about the room. She was too tired to get up, so she laid there and slept awhile more. She finally woke up towards the afternoon and tried sitting up in bed.

"Well, good morning to you!...Or should I say Good Afternoon!" Fred spoke, startling her a little, making her jump. "Oh, I'm sorry, honey." He chuckled, sitting down on the bed next to her on their bed.

"It's alright." Frances laughed a little. "What time is it? Why didn't you wake me?"

"Oh, it's around 12:30." Fred said and then grinned at his wife. "I didn't have the heart to wake up someone so beautiful."

"Oh please." She laughed, shaking her head at him.

"I mean it." He smiled, and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"What day is it?" Frances asked him.

"Halloween morning ..Which is why I took off work today. Holiday, you know." He chuckled.

"It's anything but holy!" She muttered.

"I'm kidding!" Fred laughed. "Joe, Nona and the kids are coming over tonight, right?"

"Yes and Freddy's bringing Irene over."

"Think they'll get married soon?" Fred questioned.

"I don't know. Honey, they've only been dating a year!"

"He spends all his time with her...I can tell they're pretty crazy about each other. Why shouldn't they get married?"

"I didn't say they shouldn't get married!" Frances chuckled.

"So what are we giving the kids for treats tonight?" Fred asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, honey! I almost forgot! I'll have to bake some cookies or something."

"Your peanut butter cookies?" He asked, grinning.

"Yes would you like to help me...'little boy'?" Frances chuckled, patting her husband's cheek.

"I can do that."

"Oh, and our place isn't decorated!" She thought out loud.

"It doesn't have to be decorated." Fred said.

"Yes it does!...I know what'll be perfect! Bittersweet." She said trailing off, and went out the back door and started up the road where she took to go visit her mother. She walked up past the little place where her children would play when they were younger. It was a little hill made of reddish brown earthy clay, with the patch of woods at the top. They would have clay fights there, and Freddy used to pretend it was a mountain and climb to the top where the trees were. Well, it was that, and bombard his little sister with clay! She laughed to herself as that memory came to her mind. Where they'd come home, their clothes caked with clay and dirt, and she'd have to get the wash tubs to soak the clothes in and give them baths!

Frances walked a little more past that spot and across from where her mother's little brick house was, there was the little woody vine of bittersweet, all entangled in the tree branches. She took as much of the bittersweet as she thought she needed, and set off back down the hill to her house.

"You're going to decorate...with a weed?" Fred asked, smirking, as she walked through the back door. He placed his hands on his hips for a second and chuckled a little as he walked towards her.

"It's not a weed, it's a vine." Frances looked at him, and in her deep brown eyes, you could see that familiar little hint of liveliness about her. "...and I think it's beautiful." She said, at last. "And what are you doing with those, Mr. Lay?" Frances chuckled, tapping her foot as she saw that he had two pumpkins from her garden. A medium sized one, and a smaller one. Both plump, and light orange in color.

"I thought it would be nice to carve them with the kids."

"Well, if you're going to...carve a pleasant face." She smiled, and rubbed his arm.

"Oh...Kids love a good scare!" Fred laughed.

"Just not for the little ones...we don't want them terrified. Now, will you help me decorate? I think some will do well on the French doors!" Frances said, and started hanging the little vine on one post, and Fred did the other one, and then Frances tried getting the bittersweet pinned on the overhead beam, but she couldn't quite reach it! She suddenly felt her husband's hands on her waist, and he lifted her shorter frame up so she could reach it.

"Well, thank you for the extra help! I could have gotten a chair, silly." Frances laughed. "I'm surprised you can still lift me!"

"Never was a problem." He chuckled, holding her against him a few seconds, and then set her down. He placed his rough hand on the small of her back and admired their work. "Looks real nice."

"Thank you...now to decorate the buffet table." Frances smiled, pulled back one of the French doors, so she could get to the wooden table with drawers and the long little mirror, and set the little vine of bittersweet on the ledge above the mirror. "Now, I'm going to lay down awhile...I am nearly exhausted!" She chuckled a little.

"Slowing down as you get older, huh?" Fred teased.

"I'm 38." She sent him a look. "Besides...I feel like I did when I was pregnant." Frances smiled a little.

"Are you?" He smiled and raised an eyebrow, unsure if it was still possible, him being older now...He was 46, to be exact.

"I think so, it sure feels like it...but I'll make an appointment in a few weeks. Just to be sure." She smiled. "But I hope I am...Maybe you'll get what you've wanted these past few years." Frances chuckled, kissed him and then went into the room that used to be Helen's since she was off at college. They were using it now, so she laid down on the bed and slept.

(

Helen quietly snuck in through the front door. She wanted to come home from Bayless Business college and surprise her folks! She saw her father sitting on the little couch reading the paper.

"Hi Papa!" She said quietly.

"Helen!" Fred grinned and set down the paper and wrapped his daughter up in his arms. "How's my college girl? We've missed you!"

"It's only been four weeks Papa!" She laughed. "...but I've missed you too." Helen smiled, hugging her father closer. "Where's Mama? And Freddy?"

"Freddy's with Irene right now..." Fred began.

"Of course!" Helen sighed and smiled a little.

"And your mother's taking a little nap."

"Oh! I'll go up and see her!" She said, and opened the door to her room, so she could go upstairs, but seeing her mother asleep in her bed, she looked back at her father. "You're using my room?"

"Yeah." Fred said. "I fell down in the basement last week, hurt my knee. Your mother didn't want the same, or worse happening upstairs, so she had us move downstairs since it isn't being used."

"Well, that's fine then. Are you okay Papa?"

"Oh yeah! Sprained it a little, I'm fine."

"Good." She smiled back at him, and headed into the room and sat down on the bed next to her mother. "Mama." Helen grinned, seeing her mother wake up.

"Well, bless my soul!" Frances smiled and sat up when she saw her daughter. "Helen!" She grinned and leaned so she could hug her. "I've missed you, baby girl!...What in Heaven's name are you doing home?"

"Mr. Bayless gave us the weekend off...and I just had to come home! I'm homesick!"

"Well, you're home now for a while!" Frances smiled, and hugged her youngest child again, just 18 years old.

"You okay, Mama? Feeling sick? It's not much like you to rest...you're always up and about."

"I just feel tired, a little bit nauseous. I'll be fine, don't worry about me...You're home. Let's focus on that." Frances smiled. "Your little cousins are coming over tonight and we'll have some good food and a bonfire."

"Sounds like fun! Can I make something?"

"Well, sure, if you want to!" Frances smiled.

"I'll make my fruit salad!" Helen smiled. "I'll go to the store and I'll be back!"

Helen made her trip to the store and back, to buy her ingredients for the fruit salad, while her parents started baking cookies .. and later Frances' brother Joe, his wife Nona, and their kids, Fran, Leonona, whom they called Snooky, Joey, George also known as Pudge , and their youngest, Dolores, otherwise known as Butzi made it to their place. Freddy and his girlfriend Irene Duggan made it over a little bit after they did.

"Well, the treats are all on the table for the kids well, everyone, I should say!" Frances smiled. "Fred thought to carve pumpkins with the kids so we'll do that outside now. Back door is open whenever you want something to eat, alright?"

"Freddy, you said you wanted to help the younger ones with their pumpkin?"

"Sure Papa but first I wanted to catch up with my little sister." He grinned, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh Freddy, we can do that outside. I want to visit with everyone anyway."

"I need to talk to you about something." He whispered.

"Freddy, I can get the kids started on it." Irene spoke up.

"You sure you can do it?"

"Yes, you silly I can handle a knife." Irene laughed and kissed her boyfriend and followed the little ones outside.

"So Freddy, what is it?" Helen asked him.

"Uh...um." He stuttered. "Um...how's college? How's that going for you?"

"Um...Fine! It's only been a month. Not much to say about that...I am looking for a job."

"That's good...that's real good."

"Freddy, what is it?"

"I don't know how to say this! Okay?" He almost yelled, leaning against the wall.

"Just calm down and tell me!"

"I've asked Irene to marry me."

"Well, that's great!" Helen smiled and hugged her brother. "That wasn't so hard! Now was it?" She smiled, and Freddy just stared at her, and Helen's smiled vanished bit by bit, and she looked into her older brother's brown eyes ...She could tell there was something else he wasn't telling her. "What's wrong?"

"Irene...That's what's wrong...Irene said." He said, but stopped.

"What?" Helen whispered.

"She told me she's pregnant."

"Oh." Helen said, a little shocked and wasn't sure of what to say.

"It's mine of course...I can't believe I've screwed up like this...Doc told her she's about three, maybe four months along. We're not so sure.

"You're not sure? How can you not be sure? And you've waited THIS long to say anything?"

"She told me a few weeks ago!...And it wasn't the first time that we did anything, okay?...There was that one date...and the one time in the woods and..."

"Oh my God, you had sex in the woods?" Helen nearly yelled. "Gross! Shut up,...no more! I don't need to know about my brother's sex life with his girlfriend!...Why are you telling ME anyway? Do Mama and Papa know about this?"

"Are you kidding me? No! I don't know how to tell them!"

"They need to know, Freddy."

"I know that...Mama's probably going to have a fit! That's why I decided to tell you first."

"Hey kids!...Your Mama wants you outside to help with the pumpkin carving." Fred walked in suddenly. "What's going on?" He asked, staring at them as they both became quiet. "Helen, Freddy. I'm waiting...What is it?" Fred looked at his 20 year old son, and then at his 18 year old daughter...both looking guilty. "Helen,will you tell me what's going on?"

"It's Freddy's problem! Not mine!"

Fred looked back at his son. "Freddy,come on. Out with it."

"Irene's pregnant." He mumbled.

"She's what?..." Fred asked sternly. Freddy didn't know if his father was terribly angry or if he was just upset. "You got her pregnant." He stated, at last.

"Yes sir." Freddy said. He wasn't going to hide the fact. He stared back at his father, waiting for what he was going to say.

"Like I should say much of anything." Fred sighed and looked solemn. "Look at me with your mother." He began to say but Freddy spoke up again.

"I've asked her to marry me, Papa."

Fred smiled a little. "But I'll say this. Like father, like son." He said, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, what are we gonna do? I need to tell Mama, and she's not going to be happy with me."

"We'll worry about that later. C'mon outside."

"All right." Freddy said quietly and followed his father and his sister outside to the back yard where they were carving pumpkins on the little sidewalk. Fred made a really scary looking face on the larger pumpkin for the older kids, Fran, Snooky and Joey. Freddy and Irene helped the two younger kids carve a cute little face on their pumpkin. Well, Freddy was doing most of the carving and Irene was playing with four year old Pudge and two year old Butzi. Later everyone huddled around a fire that Frances had made. They started telling scary stories. One about the man with a golden arm, and someone suggested that Frances tell the story about the enchanted forest in Germany.

"People say that there's this haunted forest in Bavaria, Germany. At night, it's dark, cold, and spooky. When you first walk into the forest...you feel...someone...or perhaps...something...jump on your back. It feels like a large, heavy weight….and you feel that you can't get it off of you! It stays with you the whole time you walk through the forest...and then!" Frances said sharply, looking around at her little nieces and nephews and the rest of her family...the fire's glow giving her a creepy looking complexion. "...just as you leave the forest you hear someone yell….something….."

"What do you hear Aunt Frances?" Little Joey asked, hanging on every word that she said. "What do they yell?"

"Boo!" Little Butzi piped up, her little hands at her face…The sound the two year old had made, made her older sister Snooky, who was sitting next to her, jump! "Dey go BOO!" She said, yelling "boo" once again, which made everyone laugh.

"Why say that?" Pudge asked.

"It scawey!" Butzi said and again everyone laughed till their sides nearly ached! When it all died down, Frances continued the story.

"Just as you leave the forest you hear a shrill, ghostly voice, It goes a little like this…."Naaaamon!...Naaaaamonnn!" Frances immitated the voice. "Namon,…..WEEEEEEEEE!" Frances yelled, which made little Joey fall off the log he was sitting on, to which all the kids laughed!

"Are you okay, Joey?" Irene asked, helping the seven year old up.

"Yeah, I'm fine…thanks Irene."

"You're welcome."

"Go on, Aunt Frances! I wanna find out what happens!" Fran said excitedly.

"Where was I? Oh yes!...Then...whatever was on your back jumps off in a split second and the heavy feeling you felt is gone! Some say...it is an evil ghost...making sure you don't disrupt anything in HIS forest!...Others say it is a friendly ghost, and wants to make sure you get through the forest with no trouble..."

"Which is it?" Fran asked.

"I say it's a mean ghost!" Joey said.

"I want it to be a nice one!" Snooky told him, and then the two began fighting about it.

"Mean!"

"I want it to be a nice little ghost!"

"Well, I say it's a mean one!"

"Nice!" Snooky growled.

"Mean!" Joey yelled. "Besides! There's no such thing as a friendly ghost!"

"Well, there should be!" Snooky raised her voice.

"Children, that's enough yelling." Nona told them and they quieted down. "Let your Aunt Frances finish the story."

"Well, which is it, Aunt Frances?" Snooky asked.

Frances grinned at her niece. "I think you'll have to go to Bavaria, Germany and find out yourself...just don't do it on Halloween night!" Frances said, her voice sounded eerie and her face looked solemn.

**A/N: Frances would decorate for fall rather than Halloween, Using bittersweet. It grows in the woods behind, and near our place. I spotted some while walking in the woods today! :)**

**Namon, weeee! is a ghost story Frances used to tell, and the story was passed down through the years.**

**Well, it is Halloween today...For those that celebrate it, I hope you have a safe time out trick-or-treating or whatever you do on this night.**


	67. Chapter 67

"She's angry…..Isn't she, Papa." Fred Jr. whispered to his father. They had told Frances that night of his and Irene's situation…..She was asleep now….and Helen had taken her brother's room for the night.

"No….I don't think so." Fred started to say. "Just….upset. Upset that this happened."

"I'm sorry…I told her that. I hope she knows that. I didn't mean for this to happen…."

"I know you didn't, son. These things happen….and I wouldn't say this baby's an accident."

"I never said that, Papa!" Fred Jr. said, a little angered by his statement.

"Now calm down! I never said you said that….I was just saying…."

"What were you saying?" He turned his head away from the lamplight and put a closed hand to his temple.

"Look at me, Freddy….." Fred told his son. And slowly his son turned his head so his face met his. "I'm glad you apologized for this, and you can say sorry all you want to, but you will have to live with this for the rest of your life….That baby will always be your son or daughter."

Fred Jr. moved his head and looked forward at the wall and was silent in thought. Meanwhile, Fred continued. He crumpled up a piece of paper and un-crumpled, and showed it to him it to use as an illustration.

"No matter how much you try, you'll never be able to get this piece of paper back to the way it was before…It's like me with my scars. You've seen most of them before… I will have to live with them for the rest of my life. I'll never be able to fix them…they'll always be there." Fred said and looked at his son.

"Will you just drop it, Papa?... I don't need an illustration! If this is something to coax me into being responsible, I don't need it! Don't you think I'm responsible enough that I WANT to marry Irene? And not just because of the baby!... I love Irene."

"I just….wanted to make sure you understood."

"I do, Papa…..I've done a lot of thinking." He looked at his father quite seriously, yet a tad bit of anger shone on his face." I'm not an idiot, you know."

"I know you're not son….."

"Just, forget it Papa…..I'll be getting up to bed." Fred Jr. got up out of his chair and started for the bedroom door, so he could pass through the room and go to the bedroom upstairs.

"Freddy…."

He looked back at his father a second, with his hand resting on the door knob.

"I think your mother's also very proud of you….for being such a wonderful young man…Just upset that you're growing up...and you have to leave home one day."

"I know that day's coming….No one can stop it." Fred Jr. said.

"You're her little boy. When you leave….it'll be like her world will disappear. I guess that's what a mother's tears are for."

"How so, Papa?"

"If a child could stay that way forever, no one would see a mother's tears." Fred said.

"I don't understand…"

"Don't you think…a mother's tears show the love she has?...And to love him enough to let him go one day?"

"I guess so." Fred Jr. said quietly.

"Just think on that." He said, and saw his son open the door to the bedroom. Freddy passed through the room and paused at the door and looked back at his mother asleep in the bed, before he went upstairs.

"I am your little boy." He whispered softly and smiled a little. "Ich liebe Sie immer, Mama." Which meant, "I'll love you always, Mama." And with that, he trudged upstairs and went to the back room and retired for the night.

(

Helen was walking back to the college after she spent some time in town, trying to get more job applications she could fill out…after nearly three times of trying! She finally made it back to the college, papers in hand, and she ran up the stairs to her dorm room. At this college, each person had their own little dorm room, and there were larger rooms for their classes and a room to dine in. She met her friend who had the room across from her outside her dorm room.

"Hi Charlene…Just let me set these inside, and we'll go to supper! I'm starving!" She said, fumbling around in her skirt pocket for her room key. "Here, can you hold these a sec? Thanks…." Helen quickly gave her the papers and retrieved her room key and unlocked the door.

"Did you go job searching again?"

"Yeah…" Helen answered, taking them back from Charlene and setting the job applications on her little desk.

"Well, how did it go?"

"I don't know Charlene…and I STILL haven't heard back from those restaurants yet!"

"I'm sorry…."

"It's alright….I just don't get it! You'd think they'd need cooks! And heck, I'm not a master chef, but I'm decent at it!" Helen sighed, trying to fix a strand of brown hair that had fallen in front of her eyes.

"C'mon we can talk about this in a bit….all this talk of cooking is making me even hungrier!" Charlene laughed.

"Me too." Helen chuckled. "Let's go see what they have for supper."

Helen and Charlene went down to the dining hall and met up with some other girls and guys from the college…..Most of them were Charlene's friends, but Helen fit in pretty well with them in this first month at college. They all ate a good supper, and talked and laughed together there until their little groups left and went about their business…Helen went back up to her room, she knew she had some homework left to do. She and Charlene would do their homework together. So off to studying they went! Helen at her desk, and Charlene sat on Helen's bed. Helen was typing up a report on her typewriter.

"Stupid fingers!" She grumbled to herself.

"What?" Charlene chuckled.

"Oh, I pressed the wrong key! Now I have to figure out how to take this paper out so I can erase my mistake and try it again!"

"Do you need help? I can get one of the guys!"

"No, I've got it…but thanks." Helen replied, laying the paper down on the wooden desktop and proceeded to erase her typing error. "There!" She smiled, triumphantly.

"Very good!" Charlene grinned and laughed a little. "To think when you first came you didn't know the first thing about a typewriter!"

"Yeah…and no I don't type 30 words a minute. More like 19 or 20!" Helen laughed. "But I think it's pretty good for a first timer…"

The two girls went back to their studies until a conversation was brought up.

"We need to get you a boyfriend….." Charlene thought out loud.

"What?" Helen turned about so she could see her friend and rested her arm on the chair's back. "I'm trying to focus on my studies! I don't have time for a boyfriend right now."

"Oh sure…." Charlene smirked.

"I'm serious!...Plus, I've JUST started college. That's way too early to be thinking about guys, Charlene."

"You're smart….I bet you can pass your quizzes without even trying!"

"I don't think so…." Helen said and paused. "Don't you think you should get back to work?"

"Come on….You're so intelligent! I bet you could handle your grades and a guy at the same time….I know a guy. VERY good looking! Blond…His name's Greg….oh I forget his last name right now!"

"I'm not as intelligent as you think I am, Charlene."

"What? Oh please!...You got mostly A's on your very first quiz! Second one too, if I remember correctly!"

"You have no idea, Charlene….You don't know how much I struggle."

"You? No way!"

"I do struggle….I have to work at it. Math's a bit hard….I only understand about half of what I'm learning, but I push myself to learn all I can with it….That stupid typewriter's another thing….and I have absolutely no idea what I'm learning in my Shorthand course! It's too confusing!"

"You made a B- on your last test with the Shorthand though!"

"You don't get it!...I told you I struggle! The knowledge I do gain, I have to work at it!" Helen said and felt tears come to her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of her friend, but felt she was about to.

"All the other college students, it's like it's so easy for them….I have to work and work and work at it….and that's frustrating!"

"Helen….you're just starting out!" Charlene said softly, hoping to help her friend.

"Yeah…and so are you! Look how easy it is for you….It's always been like this. All through school…..I spent most of my time studying all I could, whenever I could….but memorizing things is another thing for me. Stays in my head for some time, but where it goes, I'd like to know." She chuckled a little, wiped away a tear and sniffed a little.

"I understand…Sorry, I made you cry." Charlene said, gently clutching one of Helen's pillows from her bed.

"It's alright…and you didn't make me cry. I guess I just hadn't had a good cry in a long while. Guess I needed it." She joked.

"So you're okay now?"

"Yeah….I'm fine."

"Good." Charlene smiled.

"Yes….now let's get back to work!" Helen chuckled.

"Alright…." She grinned and looked down at her studies again.

"And…maybe…you could tell me some more about that Greg guy…." Helen laughed and looked at her friend, who was grinning at her and they both burst into giggles.

**A/N: The songs "A Mother's Tears" and "I'm Your Little Boy." Are both songs by the German singer, Heintje Simons….Frances and Helen, and also my Grandfather would love to listen to Heintje. They had a few of his records. :) I used the lyrics in the story sort of….I used the second verse of "A Mother's Tears" "Her little boy will grow and then one day he'll go away, and when he leaves her whole world disappears, but if a child could stay a child forever, no one would ever see a Mother's tears." And for "I'm Your Little Boy" I of course used the title of the song….but there also was a part which Heintje spoke, "Yes, whatever I do, and wherever I go, I'll be thinking of you, And you can be sure I'll always love you, because you're the best Mama in the whole world…" So I sort of used that for inspiration in Fred Jr. saying, "I'll love you always, Mama."**

**I don't know how college dorm rooms were back then, so I made up what I thought would be sensible to the story. :) And to tell the truth, I know nothing of my great grandma Helen's college days at Bayless Business College….so I made up her friend….and picked out a random name. lol.**

**In reality, Helen was very smart and had no problem with academics as far as I know. She was exceptionally bright in math! But I thought to put some of myself into her character, how I struggled in school….So really, her character is smart, but has to work her hardest at it to get there! :) **

**I also used my frustration in trying to find a job, and put it in the story as well.**


	68. Chapter 68

A few weeks later Fred Jr. and Irene had gotten married. They did it in secret at the Reverend's home with only the Lay's as witnesses. Helen wanted to make it too, but the timing wasn't right, since she was so busy at college.

"Congratulations you two…." Frances smiled, hugging her new daughter in law….and then her son, lingering a little. "I am proud of you…..You know that don't you?" She whispered to him, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"Yes Mama…." Fred Jr. smiled, and hugged his mother closer.

"It's going to be so different without you at home. You're my boy! It's going to be hard for me to see you go!"

"I'll always be your boy, Mama….Whatever I do and wherever I go, I'll always think of you…..Do you know why?"

"Why?" She asked, trying to smile, even though she didn't feel well. She felt so tired still and sick.

"Because….you're the best Mama in the whole world….I mean it." Fred Jr. smiled, and kissed his mother on the cheek. "Love ya, Mama…"

(

Charlene was in her dorm room, and heard some music being played in Helen's dorm. She sneaked over and peeked through the crack in the door, which was open a little. There Helen was, sitting on her bed, playing some song on her guitar.

"That's a pretty tune, I didn't know you played the guitar!" Charlene sneaked in, which surprised Helen a little.

"Yes…." Helen smiled. "Learned when I was a little girl. Violin too…."

"Can you sing?"

"A little…"

"Sing something! That song you're playing!"

"Oh okay…it's sort of depressing….like a breakup song, kind of…"

"Play it!" Charlene said excitedly.

"Okay, okay…" Helen laughed and began to play and sing.

"_Yesterday I looked at you  
and then suddenly I knew  
that one day our life together ends  
and at once I felt sad  
and thought the world was bad  
only memories are our friends._

_Once I'll have to say goodbye, _

_then all the joys will die  
only memories are our friends._

_Still I think it's not true  
and I'm never leaving you  
when I said this you gently stroked my hands  
then you smiled knowingly  
you knew what once will be  
only memories are our friends._

_Every night, every day  
you're still with me on my way  
On that plain with its crossings and its bends  
only time has to hurt  
one day he will ask what  
then just memories are our friends_

_Once I'll have to say goodbye  
then all the joys will die  
only memories are our friends…."_

"That was so sad! Beautiful song!"

"Thanks, Charlene…."

"You're welcome…..too bad this college doesn't have a music program!"

"Why would they?" Helen chuckled a little.

"It could be your own business, Helen! You could teach people how to play!"

"That would be a good idea for a job!" Helen said.

(

"I just wanted to make sure everything was alright, Dr. Clark. My symptoms this time around are more extreme….I'm tired nearly all the time! I rest quite a lot…." Frances was at her doctor's one early and crisp November morning.

"Um, Mrs. Lay….." Dr. Clark started to say, but Frances continued.

"You know, I thought it wasn't very possible now!" She laughed a little. "Fred being older….yet, he does keep himself young and healthy, and I'm still fairly young, almost 39,….it still is quite possible. " She smiled and let out a happy sigh. "Yet it's a little hard to believe!... My oldest is married now, and they'll be having a little one of their own in a few months…..and my youngest is in college! Soon I'll be telling them they'll have a new sibling….It's unreal." She chuckled. "Fred and I are excited….I know he's always wanted another….and I finally do!" Frances laughed and smiled at Dr. Clark.

"Mrs. Lay, please sit down a moment."

"Well, alright….Is anything wrong?"

"Mrs. Lay. I….I don't believe that you're pregnant…"

"Well, how can I not be? I have all the symptoms!"

"I really don't think that this is pregnancy…..some of your symptoms worry me. Like the excessive tiredness….How much do you rest even?"

"Half the day…or more, I'd say…..I do try to get up and do things, I hate being in bed all day."

"And when you wake how do you feel?"

"Well….still tired and nauseous. But it isn't that bad…really!"

"You told me you've been having some very irregular bleeding….."

"Yes, that's one of the reasons I came to see you….I was getting a little worried about it…but then I remembered it is normal."

"Worried…..or were you…scared?" Dr. Clark asked her. "And yes…. in pregnancy,….it is normal…occasionally, that is."

"A little of both actually….." Frances answered quietly. "And I've been so nauseous, I haven't been able to eat….so I've lost weight….I need to gain, instead!"

"I do agree with that….but I really don't believe you to be pregnant…..it's something else."

"Well, if I'm not pregnant, then what?" She questioned him. So stressed she almost started tearing up.

"Mrs. Lay…." Dr. Clark began to say and paused, knowing this was hard to tell her. "I believe you have…..Ovarian cancer. I'm very sure of it….and it would explain the "pregnancy" symptoms…..the symptoms of ovarian cancer are very similar…..to some extent."

"But…" Frances stammered and tears fell from her eyes and she was quite unable to speak. "I…I don't understand….I swore I was so sure about this!"

"I think I know how to explain that…I think, your want of another child caused a lot of your symptoms…..The mind is a very strange thing. You think on something long enough…and you begin to believe it. Believe it so much, you think those things into happening….."

Frances looked at him in disbelief and felt tears well up in her eyes again. "I…I don't know what to say….." She was at a loss for words…..

"I will be making up a list of hospitals…..in Iowa…..A lot of them, they have the best doctors….." He tried to smile, but then sighed a little. "I'm so very sorry, Frances…..I'm here, whenever you need me. Extra doctor visits….. If you're in need of encouragement. If you need anything, you'll know where to find me."

"Thank you, Dr. Clark." She somehow managed to whisper, paid him the money for her visit, and began her walk home. She made it home and slipped into her rocking chair and rocked there awhile, her brown eyes closed. Tears escaped them and trickled down her cheeks until they became even more frequent till she hid her face with her hands and started crying, later she got up and went into the bedroom and locked the door, laid down on their bed and sobbed. She got up after resting a while and went to the kitchen to try and start supper, but she found her husband at the stove cooking instead!

She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, stroking his middle-section and his chest. Frances laid her head against his shoulder blade and stayed like that a few seconds.

"Hey…." Fred grinned a little and moved his arm and brought her to him and place his hand on her waist. "How ya feelin'? I didn't mind making supper for us tonight. I don't know how good it'll be , I haven't cooked since I was a bachelor!" He chuckled and gazed down at her. "Still feeling poorly, are ya….I'm sorry, honey." Fred leaned down and kissed her cheek and moved upwards to her forehead and placed a soft kiss on her temple. "I'm sure you'll feel much better in the next few months…." He dished up their supper and set it aside on the table.

"Everything alright?...How did your doctor's appointment go this morning?" Fred asked.

Frances looked up at her husband and felt the tears well up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry!" She whispered and then at once, the tears began to flow again. "I'm sorry…..I knew how much you wanted another baby….and I did too…..but I'm….not pregnant after all." Frances laid her face in her husband's chest and cried, and felt his arms around her. "I'm so sorry…I got both of our hopes up."

"It's alright…." Fred whispered. "It's okay, honey…I think 90% of it was my fault. I should have left it alone…when you said no the first time, I should have respected that."

"I changed my mind later on….I wanted another baby just as you did." She closed her eyes and still felt the tears fall. "…but it doesn't matter now…I'm not pregnant. My Lord, I wish I was!" Frances cried and buried her face in his chest again. "Dr. Clark says I have ovarian cancer!" She managed to choke out.

"Its cancer!...That's why you've been so sick?" Fred looked at her, and felt tears in his eyes. "Honey…" He cried, and felt the tears slip down his cheeks.

Frances looked up at him and manage to nod. The tears in her eyes preventing her from seeing his face. "I don't want to tell the children just yet. I don't want them to worry about me."

"I am…." Fred said. "Just as worried as you are." He pressed his face against hers and cried more. The most he cried in ages, it felt like. "You know I love you…..I'm nothing without you!"

"And you know I can say the same for you!" Frances cried. "We're a team….A partnership!" Her crying had affected her breathing again and she let out a hard, rough breath and began crying again. "I don't know how sick I am!...Dr. Clark is going to give us a list of hospitals to go to…..I'm scared, Fred….I don't know how bad this is….If I'm dying…."

"I don't want to hear you talk like that!" Fred cried and held her closer against his body. "Not this early yet…..But believe me, I'm scared just as much as you are…..but you don't need to talk like that."

**A/N: In the beginning of this chapter, I used reference to the song, "I'm Your Little Boy." By Heintje Simons.**

**My great grandma Helen did play the guitar and also the violin I believe. The song I used was "Only Memories Are Our Friends." By Heintje…..Can you tell I like his songs? Lol. :)**

**Frances did have cancer in her forties and possibly later in life. IDK what type of cancer either….and in the story I was a couple years off, but oh well. Lol.**


	69. Chapter 69

Frances sat rocking in her rocking chair in front of the window, looking out on the road passing by the house and leading up the street to where her mother lived alone. It was February…Fred had a fire going and it was cozy. Frances gazed outside at the snow on the ground, but it was dull looking, and not beautiful like the snow usually looked like. Yet, that's how Frances' emotion was lately. Dull….She became depressed since her cancer symptoms had worsened a little, she thought…..She had a bloated abdomen now, back pain, and though she tried to eat, she couldn't keep things down, and lost weight. She was tired and felt like lying down again…..but she saw her son and daughter-in-law outside. Frances got up and started toward the kitchen doorway.

"What is it?" Fred asked. "Sit down and rest, honey. As much as you can….until Doc Clark can get us that list."

"Freddy and Irene are here." She said quietly.

"I'll go meet them…." He said, walking toward the back door. "Oh, they've got the baby with them." Fred smiled.

"Marlene…." Frances smiled.

"Yeah…And you know….I think I forgot the middle name already! Maybe, I'm getting old." Fred chuckled. It made Frances laugh a little, and she straightened the blanket that was placed over her legs.

"Frances…." She spoke up.

"What honey?"

"Frances….Marlene Frances." Frances said again. "They always decide to name them after me." She chuckled.

"This is our first grandchild…." Fred smiled.

Frances smirked at her husband but then it changed into a little grin. "I know that…..I was saying how YOU named our daughter's middle name…Frances."

"And what's so bad about that?" He asked, grinning and opened the back door to let them in. "Hey kids, c'mon in…"

"Thought you wanted to see Marlene, Mama and Papa!" Fred Jr. grinned.

"She's only about a week old and Fred can't get enough of her!" Irene smiled. "He won't stop smiling." She said, chuckling at her husband.

Frances chuckled a little, remembering how her husband was when their son was born, only 21 years ago. Now he had a child of his own! "You better not be taking this baby out so much. Wouldn't want her getting sick."

"We know, Mama." Fred Jr. smiled and kissed his mother on the cheek. "Besides, Marlene wanted to see her Grandma!" He grinned and placed his new little daughter into his mother's arms.

"Oh, so precious…" Frances smiled down at the baby in her arms. Her very first grandchild. "Is she a good baby? Doesn't give you too much trouble, now?"

"No, she's pretty good….We're still getting used to things!" Irene chuckled.

"I'd love to help you out sometime, Irene…." Frances smiled.

"Oh, thank you, Mama Lay….My mother's been helping me so far. It's going!" She chuckled. "I can always use the help."

Frances gazed down at the small newborn again. She studied her tiny face….Her eyes were closed, as she was sleeping. Marlene had the longest eyelashes! A cute little nose, and a tiny little mouth. She had very thin brown hair…..Frances held all five little fingers on one of hers. She smiled proudly, as this was her first grandchild, who also shared part of her name…Yes, Frances was quite young for a grandmother. Which she knew she couldn't help….life just pans out a little strangely sometimes.

"She's just beautiful…." Frances smiled. "You know….I think I see you in her, Irene…..but I see Freddy too."

"I was thinking the same thing….I think she looks more like Fred though." Irene smiled.

"Which one?" Fred chuckled.

"My Fred." Irene laughed and held her husband's hand.

"And considering I look more like Mama than I do you, Papa…" Fred Jr. laughed.

"Aw shut up, boy." Fred laughed, playfully whacking his son with a rolled up newspaper.

"Well, you're her Grandpa….there's gotta be some of you in her."

"Oh Lord…..do I want to think of that?" Frances laughed. "She'll probably have your silly personality!"

"I'd be honored." Fred said and they all laughed.

"Well, I think I'll give this precious girl back to her Mama…..and if you all will excuse me, I'm going to go lay down….I'm so tired."

"Sleep well, Mama." Fred Jr. smiled and kissed his mother on the cheek before she went to the bedroom.

"Papa…." Fred Jr. asked quietly after his mother had gone into the room and they were all quiet. "Is everything alright?...Is Mama alright, I mean….'bout near every time we come out here, she's exhausted….

"Everything's fine….don't you worry." Fred said. Knowing he was lying to his son…He and Frances decided to tell both Fred Jr. and Helen, when the time was more convenient….and when they knew more about the cancer and what they could do about it.

"Okay Papa…" He said solemnly, yet he looked a little confused.

(

"Now….to play a G major cord, you…"

"A G what?"

"G major cord." Helen repeated….."Or just call it a G cord."

"Well, why didn't you say so?" The young man she was teaching a guitar lesson to asked.

"Clay!...Let's get back to the lesson!"

"Okay, Helen…."

"To play a G cord, place your second finger on the third fret of the sixth string…."

"Place your what, where? What?"

"Here!" Helen said, placing his hand where it was supposed to go, with his finger in the right position. "You know this, Clay!…Just do it!"

"The first finger goes on the second fret of the fifth string…." He said placing it there.

"Correct!" Helen smiled…"Now the third finger…."

The young man put his third finger on the third fret on the first string.

"Now how are your hands supposed to be placed?"

"Well, ain't this okay?" He asked, holding the guitar.

"Sorry, I meant your fingers!"

"But we just placed my fingers where they need to go!"

"They need to be curled…."

"Like this?" He asked.

"No! Like this!" She grumbled, and took her hands and curled them as an illustration.

"You know…." Clay said, taking a hand off of the guitar and held hers…."You've got beautiful hands…."

"Clay…"

"No, I mean it…they are…." He said, rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand.

"Well, thanks…I guess." Helen said, and pulled her hand back, away from him.

"Think I could take you out on a date sometime?"

"Clay…"

"C'mon Helen….I really like you."

"Clay, I'm not…."

"Helen…." He said softly, gently grabbing her arm. "Please?..."

"I'll think about it….I'm not really focusing on dating yet…."

"But you'll think about it." He smiled…."Well….are we done with our guitar lesson?"

"You still haven't played a G cord…." Helen smirked, hands on her hips.

"Oh, I'll do it later…" He grinned, winked at her and slid out the door of her dorm room.

"Guys…" Helen smirked and shook her head and strummed her guitar a few times. "Puts off playing a simple G cord!" She huffed.

(

The months passed, the seasons changed. It was autumn now….the month of November actually. The family was coming over to celebrate Thanksgiving together…..Helen came home from college and was helping her mother get the meal together…..and Fred Jr., Irene and Marlene were to show up soon.

"I have gotten a job, Mama….so now you and Papa don't have to pay for my schooling."

"Nonsense…we want to." Frances said softly.

"I don't expect you too…..Papa works enough….and you work at the factory now…"

"Well, I haven't been working lately…." Frances said.

"Oh….and well, I don't expect Papa to do it alone…Plus, I'll be 20 in about five months. I think I should work….Anyway, I've been teaching some of the other students at college how to play guitar."

"Oh, that's good…."

"Yeah…one of them's a guy…." Helen said dicing vegetables for a vegetable tray. "Clay….Clay Ballard….and he wants to….date me."

"Oh…" Frances smiled a little. "And how do you feel about that?"

"I don't know Mama….He's nice….but he can be so….frustrating sometimes!"

"Well, as long as you feel comfortable about it….then date him. Of course, you will bring him home for us to take a look at him if you decide to date him, now won't you?" Frances smiled, wrapping an arm around her daughter.

"Of course, Mama." Helen smiled and hugged her.

"I think I better get this vegetable tray over to the table before I devour it all!" She laughed. "That's what I love about preparing a Thanksgiving dinner…..You get to swipe food every now and then! Well, it's what I love about cooking in general!" Helen laughed, grabbing a pickle from the tray and took a bite.

"Just like your father." Frances laughed. "I swear, when he carves the turkey, I need a crowbar to pry you both away from it!"

"Speaking of it, it is done yet?" Helen questioned and checked it along with her mother.

"Oh sure….go call your father and he can start carving it…" Frances said as she brought it to the table. Fred came into the kitchen readied himself with his carving utensils and went to work at carving the large bird. Sneaking a piece of meat for himself and his daughter every now and again!

"Oh Papa….I love it where there's a tiny bit of fat along with it…..I don't know why but I love it!" She laughed, eating a piece of the dark meat.

"Yeah, and its noticeable!" Fred Jr. teased his sister. "Those hips of yours…" He jutted his jaw to the side, like he always did when he joked with her.

"So what? I've got the Lay hips! Well, I've never really had a slim figure..." She said, but then thought a moment. "I don't look that bad, do I?"

"You look just fine, Helen. Your brother's only teasing you." Frances said.

"Well, I'd hope I look better! I've lost almost 16 pounds since I've been at college!"

"Don't they feed you there?" Fred asked her, chuckling.

"Oh, they feed us great!...I just don't eat a meal or two sometimes…."

"Just don't take it so far that you starve yourself, honey."

"I won't, Mama. Don't worry!...I just want to get down to a comfortable weight."

"I'd say you are…." Her father spoke up.

"If you say so, Papa!" Helen said and chuckled a little. "I beg to differ!"

(

Fred had carved the turkey and they all sat down around the table, and were to begin the family tradition where everyone went around the table and said a prayer for the meal.

"Good food, good meat, good God,…let's eat!" Fred grinned, knife and fork in hand. Everyone laughed a bit, and his wife sent him a look, but she started to laugh and then went on with her prayer.

"For food, for hope, for love and friends,…we thank the Lord for everything…."

Helen went on and prayed a small prayer, "We thank the Lord for our health and that we can all be here together today….For friends and family, those who are with us now and those who are no longer with us…."

"And for those who will be someday…" Fred Jr. grinned at his sister.

What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know….someday you'll be bringing some guy home!" He laughed.

"I hear someone already has their eye on her, back at college." Frances smiled a little.

"Mama!" Helen couldn't help but smile and started to blush. "That's just Clay….and I haven't said yes to him….."

"And why not?" Irene asked her.

"Because….I like…..somebody else."

"And who's that?"

"I don't really know…." She said quietly and chuckled a little. "I think he works for the college…..He and another man do carpentry work….."

"What does he look like?" Fred asked.

"Oh, he's tall and strong…..Black hair….he's so….sss." Helen started to say a certain word, but knew her parents would not approve of it, so she quickly changed it, "Cute….."

"You don't know his name?" Frances asked.

"No….No, I don't." Helen sighed.

"My little sister has a crush…How cute!" Fred Jr. grinned and jutted his jaw to the side. "Watching him from afar…"

"Oh, shut up Freddy." Helen said flatly. "Your Daddy's silly, Marlene. Isn't he?" Helen chuckled, looking down at her niece who was sitting on her lap. Marlene was about 8 months old or so now. She giggled and it made Helen laugh.

"Now, are we all done praying?" Fred asked, hopefully. He was hungry, and was sure everyone else was!

"Just let me say a quick one!" Irene smiled, and she did and when she had finished, there came a shout from Fred.

"CHARGE!"

Everyone started laughing again and took that as their signal to dig in to all that good food!

**A/N: Marlene Frances Lay was born February 18****th****, 1933…..She grew up and was married at least two times that I know of, one to a man with the last name of Brosky, and the other's last name was Groh. She had two children by the first man, I believe….a son name Bruce and a daughter named Karen. Marlene died April 20****th****, 2010. I found her obituary on the internet, and in the memorial there was a collection of old photos! It was so neat to see! I saw one when she was just a little thing, curly blond hair, a chubby baby-like face. She was so cute! And she also grew into quite a beautiful young lady as well!...There were a few pictures of her mother, Irene, in the collection, and you can tell they look alike…..but yet, Marlene looks a bit different, so she must look more like her father….either that or a mixture or the two. :)…..I think Marlene must have been a goofball! Lol. In one of the pictures, there was Irene, Marlene and her sister Vivian. They were at a birthday party, and were dressed in these exotic, mumu-looking dresses! Lol…..There was also a picture of Marlene in a phone booth, with a silly look on her face that reminded me of the face my Mom makes when she goofs around and acting silly. Lol.**

**The prayers at Thanksgiving are our family tradition….The one I had Fred say, is the one my Grandpa always says….The one Frances said, was the one my Grandma recites, a Methodist prayer actually….and the one Helen said, is the one my Aunt Helen, who she's named after always says…..in some way or another. And also the "CHARGE!" is shouted by my Grandpa at the last prayer, giving us the signal to eat! Lol. :) So that's basically my family's Thanksgiving/Christmas tradition….again, like this chapter, we always have TONS of laughter, no matter the topic! :)**

**Grandpa always carves the turkey or ham, giving us pieces here and there. Like Fred and Helen did in the chapter….A few of my family members love the fat along with the meat, so I thought it would be a thing to put it in.**

**Well, I hope you all have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! :) **


	70. Chapter 70

"You know what, that's what makes me angry!" Fred said unbuttoning his shirt one cold November night, as he was getting ready for bed. "Doc still hasn't given us that list! It's been months now."

"Dr. Clark is a busy man…." Frances said, weakly.

"Don't matter…..A man promises something, he should stick to it." Fred said sternly, taking off his shirt and let it fall to the floor. "Next time I see him, I'll be saying something about it."

"Fred John…." She whispered.

"I mean it…." He said, sitting down on the bed beside her. "I'm watching you get sicker…and I can't stand it…..Why can't we just go? To Hell with the list!…..Let's just go out and find them ourselves."

"We don't have the money to go traveling around the whole state of Iowa."

"You don't worry about that….I'll get the money."

"I'm too tired to argue right now…." Frances sighed and turned over, under the covers.

"You're right." Fred said softly and the smile that appeared on his face was just as soft. "We need to get to bed." He said as he donned into some gray long johns and got in beside her. He noticed she was all curled up in the fetal position under their wool blankets. "I'll get another blanket, hold on." He whispered, resting a hand on her waist for a moment.

"No need…..I'm cold no matter what."

"'Cause you're so thin…." He mumbled, laying another blanket on top of theirs. He quickly got back into bed and Frances felt her husband wrap his arms around her frail body and felt his lips graze her neck and cheek. "That better now?"

"Fred…."

"I'm being gentle…." He whispered and started kissing her.

"Stop…..Fred….Stop it!" Frances said as she squirmed beneath him. "Stop….please."

"What's wrong?"

"Just stop…." She whispered…."Can you sleep in the other room again tonight? Please?"

"What the Hell for? I want to sleep next to my wife…for Heaven's sake!"

"Please?...Or I'll go in the next room." Frances whispered and sat up. "I think I'd rather be alone….."

"If that's what you want…." He breathed outward as if he had sighed, and his lips pursed. "I don't understand why."

"You snore…..that's why." She breathed and rolled over with her eyes closed.

"Heh…" Fred laughed a little and looked back at her. "I have a feeling that's not the only reason."

"You're right…." She whispered and nodded. "Goodnight."

Fred sighed and managed to mumble back to her. "Night….honey."

Frances, while depressed, tired hurting and certainly didn't feel well, finally drifted to sleep after he had gone through the walk-in closet to the other bedroom.

(

"Helen, that is the fifth time you've looked at that guy! Who is he?" Charlene asked while they were walking to their bookkeeping class and Helen had glanced at a tall, tan, very good looking young man with thick black hair who was working on some of the woodwork in the college.

"I don't know." Helen replied.

"Yes you do….now, tell me!"

"Charlene, I don't know him! I told you that!"

"You've looked at him so much!"

"I don't know who he is. I'm serious."

"Well,….then go talk to him! Meet him!"

"Charlene….we have Bookkeeping to get to…"

"If you don't go over there, I'll drag you over! You have to meet that guy!"

"No, I don't…."

"Yeah you do!"

"Who even says?" Helen asked, in a high-pitched voice and a look of confusion on her face.

"Me….Now go!" She said and pushed her in the right direction.

"Charlene!" Helen huffed and almost bumped into the strong-looking young man. "Um….hi."

"Hey." The man replied, smirking a little and tapped his hammer on a nail. "Seen you around…..I figured you go here."

"Uh yep!...I go here. Bayless Business College!...'Cause I'm…uh I'm studying to be a secretary….for a business….'cause that's what this is….a business….college!" Helen stumbled over her words and smiled nervously.

The man laughed a little. "You'd be in a real pickle if this was a different school…..like a circus college or something." He laughed again.

"Circus college….that's funny!" Helen chuckled and loosened up with him a little more.

"So, a nice girl like you must have a name, right?"

"Oh!..."Oh yeah….I'm Helen Lay."

"Edward Walbrun.: He said, holding out his hand and he shook hers carefully as Helen grasped it.

"Do you go to college here too?"

"Well, you could say that." He grinned. "I'm here a lot….But no."

"Oh…." She smiled. "Do you….work for the college?"

"Well…yes…and no." Edward laughed. "My dad and I work here…whenever Bayless needs something done. Dad has his own carpentry business, I guess you could say. Taught me all I know."

"Oh wow!...That's…"

"C'mon Ed! Get your rump back to workin'!" An older man yelled.

"That's the old man!" He grinned slightly. "I've got to get back to work."

"Oh my! I nearly forgot! I have a class I need to get to!..." Helen said quickly.

"Well, I don't want to keep you." Edward smiled. "See you around?"

"See you around,….Edward." Helen grinned and sprinted off to her class.

Edward grinned and started climbing the ladder to get to one of the beams on the ceiling. "Pretty girl." He said to himself.

Helen went to her classes and later sat down in the dining room with a lot of her friends and ate supper with them. There never was a time where she was bored with her friends. They were always talking and laughing…..and so there she was, conversing with her friends and laughing at jokes and stories. She glanced up a second and saw Edward sit down next to his father and started eating. She watched him eat as she sipped at her drink. She smiled a little as he looked up and winked at her. And she thought he had smiled back before turning his attention back to eating his meal…..Helen sat there and began to day dream that he began making eyes at her and that she was flirting with him, she had heard her name being called several times and thought it was him….

"Helen….Helen, you still haven't answered me. Can I take you out on a date sometime?"

"Yesss…." She smiled, still in her la la land.

"Did you just tell me yes?"

"Yesss….Oh yessss….."

"I can't believe it!...Me….Clay Ballard got a date! Yeah!" The guy said excitedly.

"Wait a minute! What?" Helen said, snapping out of it. "Wha?"

"I'll be at your dorm at 7, Friday night…We'll…go do something….dinner…or something." He grinned and left quickly.

Helen groaned a little and slumped back into her chair. "What did I just do?"

"I'm guessing…you set yourself up a date…with Clay Ballard."

"But he's weird!"

"Girl…" Charlene said. "If you want the hot ones to be after you, like that guy you've been looking at nonstop…..start with the weird ones."

"I guess you're right…" Helen sighed.

"Just be flattered that he thinks you're wonderful."

"That doesn't make me feel better…."

"I know!" Charlene giggled. "Hah! With Clay Ballard." She laughed and Helen shot her a look.

Charlene hid her laughter and put her head down. "…with Clay Ballard." She whispered, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Shut up….." Helen glared at her friend.

"With….Clay...Ballard!" She said again, in a sing songy manner.

"Charlene! I'm going to hurt you, I swear!" Helen laughed a little.


	71. Chapter 71

"There's a good hospital in Cedar Rapids….One doctor there is a very good friend of mine…." Dr. Clark told the couple. "He knows some about the disease….He'll be able to help you a lot more than I can."

"We understand…" Frances said quietly.

"I'm just a small town, country doctor…." He sighed. "This would be the first time I've really dealt with this type of cancer…I really wish I could help…"

"Dr. Clark, don't beat yourself over this…." She said, taking his hand. "We…"

"We'll go to Cedar Rapids…It's not a problem." Fred said firmly. Frances looked up at him worriedly. They didn't have a lot of money to travel on, much less to pay for countless hospital visits. She had taken a little job at a battery factory, but since she had contracted the cancer, she had grown too sick to work on a regular basis…..and Fred's job didn't bring in a whole lot of money either. Fred comfortingly wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, turning his face to her and whispered, "Don't worry…."

"I'll be back with the address and directions…." He said, walking out of the room a moment.

Frances looked up at her husband. "How can you tell me not to worry?"

"I don't want you to worry…..I'll take care of this."

"Fred, I am worried!..." She spoke, clearly. With determination to let him know what she was thinking, how she was feeling…"I'm worried about this. The miles we need to travel…..all the hospital visits…" She breathed a little deeper than she had been, knowing the tears would come. "The money we need to take care of all this. The cancer! I'm nervous….I'm scared. I'm terrified!"

"Just calm down…." He said soothingly and wrapped her up in his arms.

"I'm scared…." Frances started crying onto his chest. "Lord knows how sick I am.…..I'm afraid I'm dying!" She stood there and sobbed while he held her as close as he could. And he cried too.

"Then don't be afraid…." He managed to tell her. "And I don't want you to talk like that."

"We need to realize it! It could happen. I could die from this!...I don't want it to happen. I'd rather not die! I don't want to leave you all!" She cried awhile...and stopped and took a deep breath. "And I'm not afraid of dying….I'm just afraid…that I don't know if I am or not."

"I know….I know, sweetheart." Fred whispered, tears filling his handsome grayish-blue eyes. "I know….. I'm scared too….but I'm here…..We're together! And we can fight this cancer….together." His rough voice stressed the word. " I'll be with you through everything….." He looked into her eyes and still had tears in his eyes, as did she. "Everything…." He whispered, kissing her lips softly, and moved to the rest of her face and her forehead and then he held her again. Frances melted into his arms and closed her eyes and buried her face in his neck and shoulder, wishing he would never let go of her. She heard footsteps coming across the room towards them and she felt Fred take one of his arms off of her back for a moment.

"Thanks Doc." He whispered and grabbed the little sheet of paper and stuck it in his back pocket. "We appreciate it….." Fred whispered. Frances slowly lifted her head up, though not letting go of him and nodded her head in agreement with him. "Thank you…." She whispered.

"You're both welcome….." Dr. Clark said and cleared his throat. "Please keep me updated on your health….if you will."

"We will…." Frances said quietly, and seriously. "And…would you and your wife please join us for supper sometime?"

"Of course…..when you're feeling up to it." Dr. Clark answered her. "Now, if you excuse me, I have a patient I need to call on….." He said solemnly, and headed out the door to his horse and buggy.

Fred wrapped his arms around his wife again and heard her whisper "I love you…"

"I love you, too." He whispered, smoothing his hand over her deep reddish brown hair. "Now, let's get on home…."

"Yes,….we need to start packing for our trip." She said softly. "When are you thinking of heading out?"

"You rest….I'll pack." Fred whispered. "I was thinking in the next few days…Does that sound alright?"

"Yes….but what about your job? You can't put that on hold." Frances looked up at him and they started walking out the door and to their buckboard.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it…." He said, lifting her up to the seat and climbed up beside her.

(

It was Friday night and Helen was in her dorm room getting ready for her date with Clay. She wasn't excited about it….but she knew he was and she figured this would give her a little practice with dating. She promised herself to be kind to him, as she didn't want him, or any other man thinking she was rude and snobbish….She sat there at her desk and looked in a mirror and put a little face powder on her roundish, baby-like face, some rouge on her cheeks and a little bit of lip color that she decided to buy with her own money. She finished it off with combing her brown eyebrows so they were neat. Her brown shoulder-length hair was down, but pinned back with little combs she had bought. Helen was dressed in a short dark blue suit jacket with a long skirt that matched that color. And she finished tying a little blue ribbon underneath her collar, sort of like a tie, but she liked it since it looked pretty and feminine. Helen heard a knock on her dorm room door and went and answered it. There, of course stood Clay, presenting her with a single red rose.

"Oh…wow…" She gasped. "Clay…."

"I….I hope you like it." He grinned a little.

"Thank you…." She said. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, she took the rose from him. And after all, this was a date with him….looks like he knew how to start it off well. She went with him to a nice little restaurant, where they talked, mostly about school…..which Helen wanted to clear her mind of for a while…..She didn't think the date was going well…since all he talked about was academics, and none that she was interested in, but she was polite as she could be and nodded and tried to listen to him. She even mentioned a little of her plans of becoming a secretary, while Clay rambled on about arithmetic and wanting to be an accountant for a local business of one of his friends. He later brought her back to the college and followed her to her dorm room.

"I think we hit it off tonight. Huh?" Clay grinned at her. " Maybe I could take you out again?"

"I'll let you know…." She nodded and tried to smile a little.

"Goodnight, I guess…."He smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. And he made contact….and moved his lips to hers. He released the kiss after a few seconds.

Helen wanted to slap him, but she just flinched a little, and walked into her dorm, and said goodnight before closing the door.

"Of course….he just HAD to kiss me…" Helen muttered. "Well….it was kind of nice…..I guess. Maybe I should be glad. At least some guy likes me." She sat down on her bed and started undressing. "I wish Edward liked me….but that probably won't happen." Helen sighed. "But I can dream!" She grinned. "Oh, can I dream!" Helen sighed, laying down on her back and closed her eyes and smiled at the thought of Edward Walbrun again.

**A/N: Frances did in fact work in a battery factory...What she did, I haven't a clue!**


	72. Chapter 72

Frances was in a hospital room in Cedar Rapids, dressed in a cotton hospital gown, waiting for the doctor to walk in the room, so she could be examined and they could make a guess as to how far the cancer had spread. She was nervous, as she was by herself, but she knew Fred was waiting for her in the hospital sitting room, and she calmed herself a little.

"Hello, Mrs. Lay." A young man walked into the room. "My name is Dr. Calvin Sloan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Sloan." Frances nodded and smiled a little.

"I know you're probably nervous about the examinations, but it'll be fine." He smiled. "Things will go smoothly, I'm sure….Just lay back on the cot, here, and we'll start, okay?"

"Yes sir." Frances laid down and unbuttoned part of the cotton gown. The doctor only worked by touch for a lot of his examinations, and never laid his eyes on another woman's body that wasn't his own wife's. He carefully placed his hands on her, and applied a slight pressure to certain places on her lower abdomen.

"I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable…." He said. "If I'm causing you pain."

"A little, Dr. Sloan."

"Do you have a lot of pain lately?" He asked her.

"Yes….but I try not to think on it too much."

"Alright…" He said quietly and pressed a little on a space near her hips. "Do you have pain anywhere else?"

"Not much, no sir…"

"Okay…but some, yes?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright…." He said, writing things on a little clipboard. He completed other tests and examinations and wrote things down and started toward the door. "I'm going to call your husband in and we can discuss some treatment options, alright?"

"Yes sir." Frances said, now sitting up on the cot, and had just buttoned up her cotton gown. Fred had walked into the room a few minutes later and had sat down next to her while Dr. Sloan had explained things.

"I'm thinking the cancer is mainly in, of course, the ovaries…..and may have spread elsewhere…..we won't know for sure unless you undergo surgery which I think is the best idea…We can do the surgery here…..but if you'd like, I know of a few hospitals you can choose from that have a much higher success rate…..It's up to you, of course. One hospital here in Iowa nearly specializes with the surgery…."

"Where is it? What city?" Fred asked, an arm around his wife, and his other hand was placed on her knee. "I want the best for her…"

"Burr Oak, Iowa is where its located…..I guarantee she'll be in the best care. Recovery will take some time, of course…..They'll keep you as long as it's needed."

"We'll go then." Fred nodded his head, determinedly.

"I hate to send you here and there though."

"It's fine, Dr. Sloan." He said. "We'll go."

"I'll telephone them and let them know you're coming then….How soon can you leave?"

"We'll leave today….I'll bet we can make it there in a couple days…"

"Fred….." Frances started to say, but he spoke again.

"I've taken off work for two weeks…." He told her. "Don't worry,…we can do this."

"You're sure?" She whispered, her eyes darting slowly,….just looking at him.

"Yeah…." Fred whispered, gazing at her. "We're in this together. Remember?"

Frances leaned forward and hugged his neck. She then lifted her face to meet his, and a hand found his face. "I love you…." She whispered, and a tear trickled down her cheek, but he wiped it away and leaned in and kissed her.

(

"So, do you think Clay will ask you out again?" Charlene asked.

"I figure he will….Well, he sort of did last night….." Helen said, brushing her hair.

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I'd let him know…"

"How did the date go by the way?"

"Fine….It was fine, until he stole a kiss from me…..and even that was kind of…nice. Of course, it was my first real kiss. Of course I'd think of it that way."

"I remember my first kiss….with Owen Thompson….out behind the outhouse at school."

"Gee, how romantic…." Helen said sardonically.

"I was…13. He was just a couple months older…..He kissed me, I slapped him and yelled in his face."

Helen looked at Charlene and they both cracked up laughing.

"So…are you going to date him again?" Charlene asked when their laughter had stopped.

"Gee…I don't know." Helen blushed.

"Helen….I think you like him!" Charlene grinned.

"Shut up…." She laughed, turning her face away.

"You do!"

"Okay….Okay, MAYBE I'm falling for him…." Helen said. "I just don't want to get all wrapped up in having a boyfriend…..I have schoolwork to focus on. I want to graduate early."

"I'll bet you will….Why not have a little fun and date while you're at it?...Live a little!" Charlene said, throwing a pillow at her.

(

A few days had passed and Frances was all settled in her hospital room at the hospital in Burr Oak. She was now sharing her room with a young man she figured was in his 30's, early 30's she thought, or maybe late 20's perhaps. He was dark haired, and very handsome.

Frances had just woken up when she heard his voice.

"W-What?" She asked, and turned her head so she could see him, lying in the other bed.

"I said…what are you in for?"

"What are you in for? You make it sound like this is a prison…" She chuckled a little.

"Well, apart from the food here, it's not much difference." He grinned. "I'll have to talk to them about that…." He nodded and grinned, making Frances chuckle.

"Well, to answer your question….I've been diagnosed with cancer. You?"

"Blood disease. Second time I've had it."

"Oh I'm sorry….." Frances told the young man.

"Oh that's okay…..I kind of feel flattered. Liked me so much it came back." He joked.

"You sure have a sense of humor…I like that." Frances smiled.

"I figure, with this….you've gotta have one. Can't be depressed all the time, you know?...I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Frances Lay…." She answered him. "And yours?"

"Albert…."

"Nice to meet you, Albert. And your last name?"

"Ingalls….." He smiled. "And it's nice to meet you too, Frances."

"Ingalls…." Frances muttered. She thought she remembered that name somehow….but wasn't sure.

"Something wrong?"

"Oh no…nothing. I'm….just talking to myself. Never mind."

Fred had walked into the hospital room and sat down on the bed by his wife.

"Hi…" She whispered, before he greeted her with a kiss.

"They want to do the surgery in a couple of hours…" Fred whispered. "You ready?"

"You'll be waiting for me, won't you?"

"Of course I will…" He whispered, gazing into her brown eyes. "Why would you even ask me that?"

"You know how I feel about it all." She whispered.

"Everything's going to be alright…." He whispered, laying a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be fine."

"You will be." The young man who was lying in the other bed, spoke up, softly. "I don't know about myself this time around….but I have a feeling you're strong enough to fight this, Mrs. Lay."

"Thank you for saying that. Both of you." She smiled….."Now, I haven't introduced you to my roommate." She said to her husband and they both looked over at him.

"Albert Ingalls." He said, with a wave of his hand.

"Ingalls…." Fred repeated, thinking.

"I'm beginning to think my last name is wrong with you two or something." Albert said, chuckling a little.

"Oh no…." Fred said, laughing quietly. "It's just….you wouldn't be any relation to a Charles Ingalls?"

"Oh yeah….He's my father." He replied. "You know him?"

"Yeah, I'm an old friend of his!" Fred grinned. And he and Albert talked and began catching up on everything about Walnut Grove and the Ingalls', Wilder's, and Kendall's. Albert explained to them that Walnut Grove had been blown to bits, by choice of the community because of the railroad demanding on taking the land, just seven years before in 1901. Albert was in college then, studying to become a doctor, in which he succeeded in.

"That's right, I'm a doctor….but because of this darn disease, I was demoted to patient instead." He chuckled. "Can't have the doctor sick too, while trying to help others…."

"Right." Fred said.

"So, my family moved back to Burr Oak….where when, I graduated from college, I set up my practice ."

"Your parents still living here?"

"Well, Ma is….but Pa past away a year after Walnut Grove was destroyed. June of 1902."

"I'm sorry to hear that….What about Laura and Almanzo? Mary and Adam?"

"Laura, Almanzo, Jenny and Rose are living in Missouri. Mary and Adam are still in New York."

Just then a young blond woman and a man with light brown hair walked into the room.

"Albert!" The woman smiled and sat down on his bed.

"Grace….What are you doing here?" Albert smiled.

"Don't you think you're too high and mighty to have your little sister visit you!" She said and kissed his cheek.

"I'm not." Albert chuckled. "Fred, Frances…..this is my sister, Grace Ingalls."

"Grace Ingalls Dow!" She smiled. "I may be a little girl in your eyes still….but I am a married woman now, remember?" She laughed.

"Grace, this is Fred and Frances Lay."

"Pleased to meet you both….And might I introduce my husband, Nate Dow."

Fred and Frances smiled at him as Nate nodded and said hello.

"I just didn't think you two would visit me….all the way from Manchester, South Dakota!"

"Of course! We heard you were sick….Carrie wanted to come too, but she just started a new job and couldn't get away."

"How is she?" Albert asked.

"She's doing well….alone. Still hasn't found a husband yet."

"She will…..Just let her do it on her own. Don't rush her."

"I just want her to be happy, Albert." Grace smiled a little.

"Me too." Albert smiled. "And I think she's pretty happy now with being independent."

"At times." Grace said. "Anyway, we'll let you get some rest…We wanted to visit Ma after we went and saw how you were doing."

"I won't keep you then." Albert grinned a little.

"Bye!...It was wonderful to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Lay." They said quietly while the nurses came in to get Frances ready for her surgery, and they left. The nurses were helping Frances get up on the rolling cot, so they could move her into the room where they were going to do the surgery. Fred followed along, his hand gripping hers until they were just about to go through the door, into the operating room.

"I love you…" She whispered.

"I love you too." Fred whispered and leaned down and kissed her. "You'll be just fine….I'll be waiting just out in the hallway, alright."

Frances gazed into his grey-blue eyes and at his lips. "Okay…." She said whispering, and her lips suddenly brushed against his own until the rolling cot went through that door, and they were separated, for a time.

Doctors and nurses were getting things together, surgical instruments and the sedative to put her out for the surgery, so she wouldn't feel a thing. They put the instrument containing the anesthetic of that time in 1907, over her face, giving her doses of it.

"We're just gonna give you a little something to knock you out so we can do the surgery, okay Frances?" The doctor said calmly, giving her the sedative ever so often.

"I don't want that….I want a sack of candy! No, make that two…" She said, a little groggy from it.

"I think it's starting to work." One of the nurses laughed. Which made the whole room chuckle.

Frances later turned to one of the male nurses that was at her bedside. "Thank you, honey…..for staying with me. " She whispered giddily. "You're a good man. Sweet, sweet husband!" She said, patting his arm. The young man's cheeks turned a little reddish and one of the other nurses had to step out of the room, since she was giggling so hard! The doctor gave her one last dose of the anesthetic, and Frances started whispering into his ear. "You know what?"

"What?" He asked.

She was plum silly from the anesthetic, though unaware of what she had been saying, Frances grinned at him. "I like biscuits!" She laughed and then closed her eyes, as she was finally out cold, and they began the surgery. They worked for hours and were able to get all of the cancer, and decided to take out a lot of her reproductive system, so it wouldn't spread even more, elsewhere.

"_In the prison cell I sit, thinking Mother dear of you! And our bright and happy home so far awaaaayyy! And the tears, they fill my eyes, and in spite of all I try to do, I try to cheer my _comrades_ and be gay!" _Frances was singing a song while she started waking up from the surgery.

"What's that you're singing?"

"The Army wants me!" Frances exclaimed, groggily.

"They do now?" A nurse chuckled.

Frances continued singing, "_Tramp…Tramp…Tramp….The boys are marching! Cheering up comrades, they will come. In the prison cell I sit, thinking Mother dear of you!" _She continued the little song.

"Frances, this is your doctor. Dr. Astley." He said, kneeling at her bedside.

"Did ya do the s-surgery yet?" She asked, in her loopy state. "Get to cutting already!"

"Frances….we did the surgery. We got all the cancer."

"Oh gee, that's nice!" She grinned, patting the doctor's arm.

"We also had to take out most of your reproductive system." He said softly. "Just to be on the safe side."

"Oh damn….." Frances slurred. Mumbled something else and laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. They wheeled her into another room where she would recover. And she woke up later and saw her husband's face looking back at her.

"See? It went well." He whispered.

Frances stared at him a moment and didn't say anything as she was a little unsure of where she was at the moment. On her face was a look of confusion, and she looked around and then the reality came back to her again. Just a few minutes later she looked into his eyes and whispered. "They took everything…." She closed her eyes as she felt her husband lean against her and placed his hand on her cheek. Tears streaked her face.

"I know…." Fred whispered and started to tear up a little. "What matters right now is that you're going to be fine…." He smiled.

"I am?" She whispered.

"Yeah…." He whispered back, his voice as soft as a feather. Fred leaned in so his face was inches away from hers and their lips softly met once again.

"Is it wrong if I don't tell the children?" Frances whispered, looking at him. Tears glistened on her cheeks.

"What do you mean?" Fred whispered back.

"I'm not sure if I want to tell them about the cancer…." She said and was silent, and she was just looking into his eyes.

"Why not?" Fred asked, puzzled.

"I don't know…I…." She started to say, tears filling up in her eyes. "Sometimes, there's just things you need to keep private…..Can we keep it between just us? Or is that wrong of me?"

"If it's what you feel you'd rather do…." Fred said quietly and grasped her hand and held it to his cheek, and kissed it a few seconds later.

"I don't want to worry or scare them…..I never wanted to and I don't ever." She said. "Yes, they're adults now….but…"

"You don't have to say anymore, honey." He said tenderly. "I understand…." Fred leaned down and placed his face close to hers and kissed her cheek, and rubbed her arm lovingly. "Now, how 'bout you close those pretty brown eyes and rest." He said, smiled and kissed her on the lips, lingering awhile. She grabbed his face before he pulled away and kissed him again. "Thank you so much for being so supportive through this….I feel we've grown closer, our marriage….not that it needed it." She smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too." Fred smiled.

**A/N: You can probably tell I mixed real life Ingalls with the tv show. :) Hey, it could've happened! **

**Yeah, in part of this chapter, Frances was very un-Frances like….but you aren't yourself when you're under an anesthetic/laughing gas….etc. lol…..Well, I did incorporate how she'd pat people's arms. Lol. You know, the old grandmotherly type who'd pat your knee, or arm? I guess, that was her too. :)**

**I don't really know how doctors in the 1900's era examined someone with cancer, but my closest bet was by touch of the area and if they felt something abnormal…or saw something abnormal on the skin. etc….**

**The song Frances was singing while waking up from the surgery was an old Civil War song my Grandfather had copied from memory. I only used part of it here.**


	73. Chapter 73

Weeks had passed as Frances was recovering. Fred had gone back to work in Dubuque. He hated to leave her there, but she had told him these things happen….and you do what you need to do.

"_Besides, I'll be walking out of this hospital with you by my side in two weeks…" _Fred thought of her words she left him with. He had finished his work and so he headed home. Fred wanted to get some of his things and travel to Burr Oak to see his wife. He spent a little time packing a few pieces of clothing, when the door opened.

"Hey Papa! Going somewhere?" Helen asked.

"Uh…I didn't know you'd be back from college, Helen….and who's this?" Fred asked, motioning to the young man with her.

"My boyfriend, Papa….Clay…..I wanted you to meet him. Mama too…..Where is she?"

"Just about ready to go get her….." He coughed.

"Where is she?" Helen asked, starting to get irritated.

"At the hospital in Burr Oak…."

"What?" Helen stammered, confused. "What's she doing there?...What's wrong?" She asked, worriedly. And started thinking the facts through….."Never mind,…just tell me when we get there! I'm coming with you….You don't mind, Clay, do you?" Helen asked, turning to him.

"Nah, I'll come too if you don't mind." He said. And so the three left together and started off to Burr Oak, Iowa.

"You still won't tell me!" Helen spat, madder than a hornet. "How can you be so quiet, Papa?"

"Just calm down….please….."

"I will not calm down!" She raised her voice. "Not when you won't tell me what's happening with my mother!"

"Helen…this is a public setting." Fred said, mentioning that they were seated in a train.

"I don't care if they hear me all the way in China!...Just tell me, Papa!" She cried, tearing up….worried….and hating that she didn't know what was going on.

"Your mother's recovering….from cancer." He said finally.

"Cancer…." Helen choked out, tearing up even more. "No!" She started crying, and Clay wrapped an arm around her. He felt a little akward seeing her cry. "I don't believe it!...I can't believe it….It can't be true." Helen cried.

"It is true, Helen…." Fred said quietly. "But she's getting better….She's nearly well now and wants to come home to recover the rest of the way."

"WHY didn't you tell me this before? Why didn't you tell me she was sick?"

"She didn't want to worry you." Fred told her. "Now I want you to calm down….we're almost here."

"How can I calm down?" She cried. "This is my mother we're talking about here!"

"Just calm down." Fred said gently and held her hand. "Your Mama's getting better….trust me."

They made it to the hospital and Helen and the others found Frances' room. Helen walked right in and nearly burst into tears. "Mama!..." She cried and sat down on her bed. "Mama, you look so frail."

"Now, stop the tears, little miss dramatic…" Frances smiled and wiped away the tears streaming on her daughter's cheeks. "I'm fine." She whispered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Helen cried. "I would've been there to help you! I could've come home."

"Now, I wouldn't want you to do that….You finish college!"

"I will….But family means more to me than that. You, Papa…and even Freddy come first in my life." She sniffled, laughing a little.

"I told you to stop the tears, little girl." Frances smiled, reaching her hand up and wiped away a tear with her thumb. "I told you…I'm better. I'm coming home today!"

"I'm so glad to hear that…..I just wish you would've told me. Does Freddy even know?"

Frances shook her head. "No, he doesn't know. Well, as far as I know, he doesn't…Helen, he has his own life now. We haven't seen him since October."

"It doesn't mean he doesn't care! Mama, why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want to worry you….And its personal."

"It makes me angry!...We would've been there for you!" Helen said. "Don' t think we wouldn't have."

"I'm sorry I've made you angry." Frances said softly and hugged her daughter. "I just didn't want you to worry about me….If I were to die."

"It would kill me if you died and I didn't know you were so sick…..It would be so terrible!"

"Well don't even think it….Because I plan on living for quite a while now!" She grinned. Frances then looked at Clay, who was sitting in one of the chairs. "Now who's this nice looking young man?"

Helen looked at him and grinned, then looked at her mother again. "Mama, this is Clay Ballard. My boyfriend."

"Boyfriend!" Frances smiled. "Wonderful!...And he sure seems like a good one since he came all this way with you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lay." Clay smiled a little.

"Your first boyfriend!" Frances smiled. "Exciting, isn't it?"

"Well….yeah…." Helen grinned. "Do you remember your first boyfriend, Mama?" She asked. Helen could never recall her mother telling her about any boyfriends she had.

"Of course I do!" She smiled…."Strong, handsome….funny….charming…not very tall though." She laughed. "Neither am I though!" Frances laughed a little more.

"Whatever happened? You broke up with him probably…"

"Oh no! No." She grinned, shaking her head. "I married him!" Frances smiled, looking up at her husband. "But don't get your hopes up….It doesn't always work that way."

"Papa was your only boyfriend?"

Frances nodded. "He was the only one who asked me, really. Things went fast, I'll admit….It certainly doesn't always work out the way it did for your Papa and me. Sometimes, you get the wrong guy that way. You best be careful."

"Mama…." Helen whispered. "I don't think I'll marry Clay….not yet anyway." She laughed a little.

"Like I said, don't get your hopes up. Life is…unpredictable."

"But that's what so fun about it." Fred grinned.

"So true." Frances chuckled. "Well, I'm ready to go home, I think!"

"Me too!" Fred said. "It's been a time!...But I don't think mine has been as crazy as yours." He laughed a little and looked at his wife.

"What?" Frances laughed. "What do you mean by that?"

"You…..singing that old Civil War song." Fred laughed. "Now I know how silly you get under anesthesia."

"What?" She laughed. "I didn't!"

"Yeah, you did…" He chuckled. "I heard everything that went on. "

"Oh….just wonderful." She sighed. "And I barely remember a thing about it."

"Well…lets go home." Fred chuckled.

"Yes. Let's go home!" Frances smiled. "And we can all have supper together."

"I'll cook!" Helen grinned. "I'll do everything."

(

That year had passed. Helen thought it was a good year all around. Things were going well with her studies and she'd hope she would graduate early. She was about to turn 20, and would no longer be a teenager. So that was exciting for her….Helen had to give up her job giving guitar lessons. It just wasn't working out. But, she recently sent in an application for a different job, cleaning a gymnasium. She figured it was promising….Things were going well with her and Clay, she thought. It was Valentine's Day and he had given her a heart shaped necklace. She was admiring it while she was in class one morning.

"Oh, that's a pretty necklace." A girl next to her whispered. "Who gave it to you?"

"My boyfriend." Helen smiled.

"For Valentine's Day…how sweet!" She smiled and held out her hand in front of her. "My boyfriend Clay gave me this ring."

"Oh…..that's nice." Helen said. "Pretty."

"Gee, thanks!" She beamed. "Clay Ballard is the sweetest guy ever!"

"Clay Ballard, huh?" Helen muttered. This wasn't adding up to her.

"Yes…" The girl said happily. "We've been dating for three months now."

"Oh really…..Three months."

"Um….Is something wrong?" The girl looked at her. Helen had a look on her face that you could tell she wasn't in the brightest mood!

"No….No, not at all." Helen muttered, glaring. She turned her attention back to her schoolwork, and couldn't wait for her class to be over so she could have a word with Clay.

Helen walked down the hall as soon as she finished her class. She picked up speed as she walked into the lounge of the college, her shoes hitting the hardwood floor rapidly as she walked over to Clay. He was standing there, talking with his friends.

"I need to talk to you!" She yanked his arm, so he would face her.

"Give me a minute, baby…." Clay glared a little, but grinned at her. He was a little bit ticked off since she had interrupted him and his buddies.

"No….Right now…" She grabbed his hand and walked off with him into a hallway.

"So. What is it?" He asked.

"Tell me something."

"Anything…."

"Are you cheating on me…or not?" Helen asked.

"Cheating?...What makes you think that?"

"Answer me." Helen glared at him.

"What makes you think that I'm cheating?" He smirked.

"Anna Peterson…."

"What?"

"Don't you dare deny it Clay! You're dating her! She told me so!" Helen raised her voice, almost beginning to cry. "You two have been dating for three months. She said so…You're cheating on me, Clay!"

"Maybe I am…..and maybe I'm not." Clay said, still smirking. "It's all in how you look at it."

"How can you even say that?" She looked at him in disbelief, but then her attitude changed…."Well…I see it as cheating….and I won't stand for a cheater!" She said, ripping off her necklace. "Here!" Helen felt like throwing it at him, but she just let it fall into his hand.

"Fine….We were coming to a close anyway. I was going to break up with you in a few weeks."

"Yeah, well I've saved you the time." Helen spat at him. She walked away from him and just wanted to go to her dorm room and unleash everything. Clay's words hurt her. She was angry at him for doing this to her, yet sad about breaking up with him. She was crying a little now and nearly made it to the stairs, except she ran into someone instead.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's the hurry?"

Helen looked up, and it was Edward. "I need to get to my dorm." She said, tears streaking her face.

"Hold it a minute." Edward said, his hands on her shoulders. "You're crying….What's up?"

"I'd really like to get to my dorm, Edward." Helen sniffled. She covered her mouth, in case she started crying there. She didn't want him to see her cry.

"Enough with the 'Edward'!" He grinned a little. "Call me Eddie!"

"Eddie." She smiled a little.

"Now what's the matter? You look like you need someone to talk to. That's what friends do…..We are friends, right?" He smiled as she nodded slightly. "Now, what's going on with you, Helen? Hey, you can tell me." He said, gently putting an arm on her shoulder.

"I…I just broke up with my boyfriend." She said softly, fearing the tears would start again.

"I'm sorry…." He said. "….what happened?"

"Why do you care?" She turned away from him and bit her bottom lip to try and keep from crying.

"You're my friend." Eddie said. "And I'd like to help you." Helen looked at him again. "So, what happened? Did he break up with you?"

"No….I did." Helen said, tears streaming her face.

"Is he seeing another girl?"

Helen nodded. "How did you know that?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Just a guess. Hey….I'm sorry….."

"I'm the one who called it off…..He cheated on me. I just won't take cheating."

"Good. You stood up for what you believe in. I'd be proud of yourself I were you." He said.

"Breaking up still hurts." She said softly.

"I know." He said and pulled her a little bit closer. "Things'll shape up soon. It'll be alright."

Helen smiled a little, wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug. "Thank you." She whispered.

"Don't mention it." Eddie grinned. "Walk you to your dorm?"

"Um…Can you really do that?"

"I like breaking the rules." He grinned. Helen raised her eyebrows and gave him a surprised look. "I'm kidding!" He laughed. "I've got a visitor's pass!"

"Well, thanks, Edward…..Eddie." She corrected herself, smiling at him a little. "But….but I think I can make it to my dorm by myself."

"Well, alright then." He said, and turn around to leave, and looked back at her. "We're friends." Eddie smiled. "If you still need somebody to talk to….I'm your guy."

Helen nodded, smiling slightly and walked up the stairs and to her dorm room.

**A/N: Been a long while since I've written. I'm sorry….Things happened and I've not been able to write. Glad to get back into it! :)**


	74. Chapter 74

Frances saw her husband off to work one morning. "Glad things are getting back to normal?" She asked, rubbing his shoulders.

"I'll give you 40 minutes to stop doing that." He said. They both laughed, as she hugged him. "And define normal for me." She laughed with him and laid her head on his chest. " You're sure you're getting better?" He asked.

"I feel okay now. I have my days…I'm fine, Fred." Frances smiled up at him. "You know, how about I walk you to work today…..and I think I'll visit my brother Joe and his family. I've been dying to see our new little niece."

"6 kids already….Joe sure got busy!" He chuckled.

"Oh, you hush!" Frances laughed and grabbed his hand and they walked down their little sidewalk and the road and crossed the little wooden bridge.

"Bet she's a cute little thing…Katherine something?…." Fred wondered.

"It's Kathleen, honey." Frances corrected. "Kathleen Rose. They've nicknamed her Kate. Very cute, I think."

"At least its a normal one this time!" Fred laughed at some of two of his nieces' nicknames.. "Butzi…..Snooky."

"Those are special to them." She smiled.

"I know." He smiled. "Just like my little "Rosebud." Fred said, remembering his little niece back in Germany, Anna Lay. Not so little any more, of course.

"It would be nice for you to go back and see them again."

"Maybe someday." He said and looked down at his wife. "Well, this is your stop, my lady." They were just about at the Gruber's home now.

"Oh no…I'll walk you to work."

"Frances, go visit." Fred grinned. "I'll manage."

"Alright." She smiled and kissed him. "I'll see you later."

(

Meanwhile, Helen was working away from the college campus. Cleaning a gym. Only problem was, she didn't care for it.

"I don't like sweeping…." She muttered, talking to herself. "I don't like mopping this floor! I don't like sports, because they get it all scuffed up and I have to do it all over again. Plus the whole room reeks of sweat afterwards."

"Hey, is the gym ready yet, girl?" One of the young men asked. "We want to practice our wrestling."

"Yeah, I'm done….Just let me get out of your way." She said taking her supplies and started for the gym door.

"Wait a sec. We need a mat."

"Hold on." She frowned. Helen walked out the door and asked the main janitor for his key to the closet, and soon found one of the wrestling mats. She returned with it and left the gym and went into the hallway to get her things so she could go back to the college. She walked past a good-looking young guy in long dark grey boxing shorts that went past his knees, and a grey shirt. He stopped, looked at her and started following her till he got in front of her.

"Eddie!" She smiled. "I didn't even notice you."

"How's it going? Been what?...A month…two months since I've seen you?"

"About that." She nodded. "No work left at the college?"

"No." He shook his head. "Something's bound to break though." Eddie joked. "Might see you soon."

Helen smiled. "I was just about to head back to the college."

"I'm wondering about that…..I never expected to see you here!" He laughed.

"I work here."

"Aw, that's great. You like it?" He asked, crossing his arms and looked at her.

"Oh, yeah….I guess." Helen smiled and shrugged. "Brings money in."

"Sure." He grinned. "Well, I hate to keep you…and I have to get to my boxing. Unless you want to stay and I'll bring you over there."

"No, but thank you…..Walking's good anyway."

"True. Good exercise!" Eddie smiled. "I'll see you later." He said, and walked into the gym, went to the long punching bag that was hanging from the ceiling and started his routine. Some fast jabs, a few full force punches…..and he alternated with those a few hook and cross punches. Then he started bringing kicks into his boxing routine as he was practically a master in different forms of the martial arts. Helen stood at the door and watched through the window at him. Eddie worked up quite a sweat in a small amount of time, so he stopped to rest and get a drink. He took off his shirt and began again.

"Oh my gosh." Helen gasped, still looking through the window. She watched as every muscle moved and worked in his arms and his legs. "I need to go…" She gasped to herself as she couldn't stop staring at his chest. She nearly thought she lost her breath at the sight of him. "This isn't helping me any." She laughed a little and walked away from the gym door. "Looks aren't everything…..but those looks? Wow!" Helen grinned.

(

Frances had visited with her brother and his family awhile and then went back home, did her normal housework, and stopped to rest in her rocking chair awhile and to look out at the street outside, and the large pine tree standing in their yard beside the house.

"I'm glad we saved that tree. Makes the house so cool in the summer." She said to herself. "Such a pretty day today too." It was a warm day in mid-April. The sun was out. It was indeed a beautiful day.

Frances looked over at the road and once in awhile, people would walk by. She saw a man come across the bridge and went up the road.

"Who is that?" Frances thought out loud. "_Never seen him around here before. Hm." _She thought.

The man trudged up the hill until he found a little brick house back in the woods. He came to the house and started pounding on the door.

Franziska Gruber was in her bedroom as she heard the pounding on her front door. "Now who in the world would be visiting me now?" She said, irritated, and got up and walked through her little kitchen to the door. "Now, now! Keep your knickers on! Whoever you are!" The 70 year old woman finally opened the door and the man sprang forward at her and grabbed her by her throat! It of course took her by surprise and she soon found out how stronger he was than her. He backed her up against the kitchen wall and she was trying to pry his grip from her throat. But she couldn't. He had such a fierce grip on her, she feared he'd choke her to death.

"Your money or your life…." He told her. Cold, angry green eyes glaring back at her….His teeth were clenched. He now loosened his grip on her.

"Please….don't hurt me!" She gasped, trying to get air into her lungs again.

"I said your money or your life, woman!" The man raised his voice.

"I don't have any money!" She cried.

"You have to have something here!" He spat, and tightened his grip on her more. "Where is it?" The man demanded.

"It's in a box….in that little wardrobe there. It isn't much…." She managed to choke out. "If you let me go…." Franziska started to say, but he tightened his grip once again. His hand crept up her throat to her just below her jaw. And held her head against the wall.

"Why are you doing this to me?"Franziska sobbed. "Let me go and I'll give you the money!...Please!"

He refused to let go, and pushed her in the direction of the wardrobe. She opened it as he loosened his grip just a touch and she grabbed the box of money she had. And she gave it to him. He opened the latch furiously and retrieved the money and counted it. "Six dollars….that's all?"

"I told you!" Franziska cried out. The man lunged at her again, but her eyes darted to her broom leaning up against the wall. She quickly grabbed it and tried her best to defend herself. He, just as quickly grabbed it from her, pinning it against her. "There's gotta be more here somewhere."

"There isn't! That's all I have…..Now, why….."

"Shut the Hell up, old woman!…..I ain't got a reason why I'm here and I don't need no damn reason!" He yelled roughly.

"Well, I don't have any more money. Are you so stupid that you can't understand that?" Franziska yelled at him.

The man got even angrier and slapped her multiple times and started beating on her. The blows hitting her so hard she could barely move and didn't even bother to try to fight him back. She couldn't. He was just too strong…He soon pulled out a hammer and began beating her with that. He gave her harsh blows to the head and Franziska soon went unconscious. He dropped her on the floor and left her there, taking the small amount of money with him.

"_Better get away from here quick before the old broad wakes up." _The man thought and started down the hill. He nearly ran past Frances' house and to the small wooden bridge.

"Now there that man is again." Frances said, looking out the window as he turned and went on Peru Road. "_Why is he in such haste_?" She thought, puzzled. She didn't know and figured she shouldn't bother thinking on it anymore and went back to her work.

It seemed like hours had past until Franziska came to. She woke up and looked around her room. "Where am I?...My God, what happened?" She moaned, and a hand went to her head and felt blood pouring. She looked down at herself and discovered she was covered with blood. Her own blood. Franziska tried lifting herself up and fell. She felt very weak and could barely move herself, but she tried again and grabbed the edge of her kitchen table and hoisted her body up and tried to walk, but fell again. She mustered up all of her strength and stood up and fell against the wall. Her back hit the wall and soon she tried to walk against it and get to the door. She tried walking through the woods and to the road down to her daughter's, trying her best to stay on her feet as much as possible.

Frances was in her kitchen getting things ready to make supper before her husband came home. She saw someone walking down the road again, and saw it was her mother. Frances saw her covered in blood from head to toe.

"Oh my God!" She said shocked and ran outside.

"Ma….Oh my God, Ma…..Oh my God!...Oh my God, Ma, what happened?" Frances asked, franticly.

"I was robbed and beaten by some man….."

"Oh no…This is horrible!...Oh my God! Oh my!...Oh my God, Ma…We've got to get you to the doctor!" Frances sobbed, becoming even more frantic. "We need to…..We've got to go now!"

"Frances….." Franziska tried to say.

"We've got to call the doctor! And the police!….He could have killed you, mother!. He nearly did! We need to go right now, come on!"

"Will you calm down, first?" Franziska raised her voice.

"We need to get the doctor, Ma! You're in bad shape!" Frances cried.

"I know that! But I don't want you to have a panic attack before we go!...Now you calm yourself down!"

"Mother, you're so stubborn!"

"Maybe that's a good thing. Now are we calling the doctor already?"

"Yes! Of course!" Frances rushed her mother inside and had Fred, as he was home now, run across the way to the neighbors to use their new telephone. He called both the doctor and the police and they were both there as soon as they could get there. Franziska, after her wounds were cleaned and the gash on her head fixed up, was asked questions about the attack. She couldn't describe her attacker except for his eyes and the hammer he had used. Frances spoke up saying she had seen the man, and described what he was wearing.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you much. That's all I can remember. He just had knocked on my door and started….choking me. Asking me for my money…..All I had was $6…He started fighting me again. I tried fighting back….but he fought back harder." Franziska started crying. "I'm still shaken up….."

"It's alright, Ma." Fred wrapped an arm around his mother-in-law and tried comforting her. "You don't need to say any more…"

"That hammer he used." She gasped, a hand reaching to her now bandaged head, remembering the horrific event.

"Don't say anything more…..It's all over. You're alive…." He whispered.

Frances gently hugged her mother. "That man should be put to death for what he did. How…..aweful." She cried.

"The police are handling it…They'll be keeping an eye out for him." Fred said.

**A/N: The robbing was actually a true story. Frances had seen a man hastily coming down that road. She wondered who he was and why the haste? And it turned out, that man had knocked on her mother, Franziska's door. When she opened it, he grabbed her by the throat and almost choked her to death. He told her, "Your money or your life." Franziska, in fact, had only $3 to $6 to her name. He took a hammer and gave her a blow to the head, knocking her unconscious. The man obviously, took the money, and ran back down the hill, and Frances had seen him then. She later saw her mother stagger down the hill, covered in blood. Frances became frantic, but Franziska was tough even then, and ended up calming her down! The doctor and the police were called then, but the robber had made his escape. Until a few weeks later, this same man robbed another man, and also hit him over the head with a hammer. Another man had seen this robbery take place and started chasing the man. The robber tried hitting this man as well, but he wasn't hurt too bad. Turns out, one man saw the robber being chased by several people and stopped the robber by blocking the way with his truck. The police caught the robber finally, and he was sentenced to only 25 years in prison. This all took place in either the years 1934, 1936, or 1937. My dear old grandpa was told all this, and who it was that robbed and had beaten his great grandmother, by his grandmother Frances, when he was 16 years old.**

**Franziska never quite got over the attacking, and they say she developed a goiter from it and had it the rest of her life. She had become afraid to live alone, and so she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law. She used the upstairs bedroom. This room used to be mine and my sister's room and is now just my sister's room. :)…..Franziska also moved in with my grandfather and his parents for a time until she moved to the Mt. St. Frances nursing home, where she lived until she died in 1948 at the age of 84.**

**My great grandfather Eddie Walbrun, in fact did boxing, and knew jujitsu and karate and other forms of martial arts. He was also a fisherman and a hunter.**

**Not sure about what Frances was saying about that pine tree? Turns out, our place was covered with them. They ran too close together and they had to be cut down...and of course, so Fred could build the house there. Well, turns out, they saved one tree. Which stands next to the house still today. :)**


	75. Chapter 75

The streets of Dubuque were alive as usual just few weeks after the robbery. Old fashioned trolleys , people in their automobiles, were roaming to and fro,...people were walking, some riding bicycles here and there and everywhere. Shops and other different kinds of businesses were opening up for the day. It was a beautiful day in April. The sky was so blue, the sun shining bright in the nearly cloudless sky.

Things were going well for one man that morning, it seemed. He was walking to one of the shops on Rhomberg Avenue, till almost out of nowhere, someone grabbed him and pulled him into an alley. The man was robbed of his money, and beaten. The criminal used the same weapon from his last robbery: a hammer, and he gave his victim a blow to the head. Another man saw the whole thing and started chasing the man as he had taken off running down the street. He soon caught up with the robber, and soon received the same fate as the other man, he was robbed and beaten, although he wasn't hurt as badly. The chase after the robber soon began again! And soon a crowd had formed and joined in chasing the man.

"Good God?" Fred Lay Jr. questioned, as he saw the crowd approaching. He was out in one of the city ambulances, as he was one of their drivers. He saw the man being chased, and blocked the end of the road. "What's going on?" He asked, looking confused, as he had stopped his ambulance and had gotten out.

Two men had taken hold of the robber, in case he thought of trying to escape again. "This man's committed a robbery….and we think he's the cause of the one that happened three weeks ago. It's time to put a stop to it!" One said.

"How could I forget that? My Grandmother still isn't doing too well, I think…..She's staying with my parents right now."

Fred Jr. chatted with the men awhile, then the police were finally making their way over. "Thank you for blocking the road, Mr. Lay…..You're practically a hero. We've been after this man for some time now."

"It was…nothin'…. Well, I just parked…You know what, you're welcome." Fred Jr. chuckled and shook the police officer's hand.

"Boy, Irene sure won't believe it when I tell her about this!" He said to himself as he watched the police arrest the man. He went on to see if he could help any of the robber's victims.

"_Mr. John S. Cody, of Dubuque, was convicted of a robbery on Rhomberg Avenue early yesterday morning. Authorities say this was his second occurrence of the crime, both times, using a hammer as his choice of weapon. Yesterday, Cody was being chased by several townsfolk until Mr. Fred G. Lay, a resident of Dubuque, had blocked the road until authorities came. Cody is sentenced to 25 years in prison….."_

"Only 25 years…." Fred muttered as he read the article in that morning's paper.

"I think he deserves more if you ask me." Frances told him, laying down a plate of German Apple Cake and a cup of coffee in front of him.

"I didn't." Fred chuckled. "Anyway, I agree with you…but that's how much he was sentenced. It's done with."

"I know."

"Can't help but feel proud of our boy, though." Fred grinned a little.

"Oh, I know…" Frances smiled. "You think he's read the paper yet?"

"Yeah, I bet he has….Why don't you sit down and have a little breakfast cake with me?"

"Do you want me to get heavier?" She laughed and sat down next to him.

Fred shrugged. "I don't care…..I'm just glad you put the pounds back on as quick as you did. That cancer sure gave both of us a scare."

"Well, we made it through, didn't we?" Frances smiled, and held his hand. "I feel great now."

"Then don't worry about your weight….You look great no matter what."

"Yeah….right." Frances smiled and rolled her brown eyes. She took a bite of her coffee cake and changed the subject. "….I want Ma to stay with us as long as she can."

"She can live here with us for as long as needs…..I actually like having her here!" He chuckled.

"Fred..." She laughed.

"Really...She can stay here as long as she needs to. I don't mind."

(

Helen was standing in Cornelius Bayless, the college administrator's office. He was a thin older gentleman, with fierce looking eyes, a balding head and a small gray mustache.

"You're 20 years old, aren't you?" He asked her.

"Yes sir….Well. I will be…..well, I guess I am. Today's my birthday…..But what does that have to do with….?" She began.

"I just wanted to be sure…." He told her. "You're an exceptionally bright young lady. I'm sure you have a feeling why I called you in here…."

Helen looked at him puzzled, and kept quiet. She wasn't sure of what to say.

"Graduation…" He went on to say. "Is next week…..And you, young lady have managed to finish all of your classes. You'll be graduating a year earlier. May I say, congratulations Miss Lay."

Helen broke in a huge smile! "Thank you so much, Mr. Bayless!"

"It's your hard work that have paid off. You're a wonderful student, young lady."

"Thank you…" She beamed.

"You can go back to your dorm and pack your things and go home…..Just be sure to join us here again next week for graduation." He laughed.

"Oh, yes sir!" Helen giggled.

Helen was informed that her job at the gymnasium was no longer valid. The college had given her the job, and now she was finished with her work. So she headed on over there to pick up her last paycheck. She saw Eddie there after he had just finished one of his workouts. He was wearing his long boxing shorts and a white cotton shirt.

"Hey you….Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks Eddie!" She smiled and stood there just gazing at him.

"So how are you celebrating?" He asked.

"Oh….we'll probably just have a special dinner or something."

"That's nice!"

"Would you…like to come with me?" She asked, hoping he would say yes!

"Yeah, I would…..just let me go change real quick." Eddie told her, and left and changed into a gray Henley shirt and put an argyle sweater vest over the top, and changed out of his boxing shorts and into some dress slacks. He carefully smoothed back his jet black hair back with his fingers. "Perfect." He smiled at his reflection in the mirror.

Helen picked up her very last paycheck and explained to Eddie that she wouldn't be working there any longer. They talked all about it on the walk to her home.

"I guess I just have to come visit you at your house then."

"I guess." She smiled. "There it is there, with that huge pine standing next to it." Helen said as they crossed the little wooden bridge.

"Nice looking place. Looks big!" Eddie smiled.

"Oh, I guess it is….Three bedrooms, I think."

"Wow."

"My father built it….the garage too."

"Bet he's got a nice machine in there!" Eddie grinned.

"I suppose so…That's a guy's thing. I normally don't pay attention."

"Guess so." Eddie laughed.

"What?"

"Oh, that it's a guy's thing." He smiled….He had actually laughed because he was thinking how she had said that was cute.

"Do you have a one?"

"No…..But I'd like one….Never mind." He laughed again and smiled that smile at her. The gorgeous smile that made her feel almost weak in the knees!

They walked up the steps to the front door and went inside. "Ma?...Papa?...Is anyone home?" Helen called. Her grandmother Franziska came out of the kitchen and into the front room and met them.

"Your Papa is off at work, and your Ma went to run a little errand.." She said, and her attention quickly turned to Eddie. "Oh how sweet, Helen!….You brought your little boyfriend with you."

Eddie stood there and chuckled a little. Helen didn't think it was all that cute and funny though.

"Grandma….Eddie's…just a good friend…." She was slightly embarrassed, and blushed a little. Helen glanced nervously at Eddie and then at her grandmother.

"Just a friend…Okay, I see." Franziska smiled. "Well, how about you two come into the kitchen and have some coffee and cake."

"Sure, Grandma…." And they both followed her into the kitchen. "Why isn't he?" Franziska whispered to her. "Grandma!...He's right behind us…." She muttered back. "What?...Snag him while you can, dear!" She grinned at her granddaughter while Helen just smirked. Yet, the smirk broke into a smile.…..As soon as Helen walked in the room, a great big ol' "SURPRISE!" was shouted. EVERYONE was there! Fred Jr., his wife Irene, and their little girl Marlene…Uncle Joe, Aunt Nona and all 6 of their children were there. Some of Helen's friends from college were in the room, and good friends of the family, Ed Graf and his sister Lucille were there too …..and of course, Helen's parents were there as well.

"You lied to me, Grandma!" Helen nearly shouted, but cracked up laughing. "You lied…..and you're such a sneak!" She laughed and went and hugged her dear grandmother. "I seriously had no idea!"

"That was the idea!" Franziska laughed.

They all had a nice little party for her and had a wonderful time. They had some good food and birthday cake and drinks, and everyone went into the front room so she could open her birthday cards.

"Here's one from Freddie….." She smiled as she opened the envelope and took out the birthday card. _"Here's something fresh from my garden…." _Helen read what the birthday card said on the front of it. "Oh look, it has a little gardener on it!" She looked at the little girl figure dressed in a green dress, pearl necklace, with a little green watering can on the ground next to her. "Has the funniest looking hair though!" She laughed at the stringy-looking hair on the little cartoon.

"Only modeled after you, sis." Fred Jr. laughed.

"Oh, you hush." Helen laughed.

"Open the card." Fred Jr. grinned.

Helen opened her birthday card, but suddenly let out a shriek! "SPIDER!" She tried shaking the card in an effort to get the spider off of it, but it wouldn't move! She touched the spider and found out it was only plastic! Helen and everyone in the room laughed. "_Happy Birthday…"Brudder"_ Helen read what Fred Jr. had written on the card.

"That was a good one, though I feel like slapping you…..Brudder." Helen chuckled and hugged her older brother.

Helen opened more birthday cards….but one she opened was a lot more sweet and special.

"_**To a Dear Daughter On Her Birthday**_

_Once upon a time there was_

_A baby dear and sweet_

_Who brought a world of happiness_

_And made life more complete,_

_And with each passing year she grew _

_Still sweeter every way- -_

_And it's that little girl, grown up,_

_Whose birthday is today!_

_Happy Birthday,_

Ma."

"Oh Ma…" Helen hugged her mother and stayed in her arms a few seconds. "I love you." She said softly. "Thank you for the beautiful card."

The party was over soon after and everyone went home, except for Ed and Lucille Graf.

"Helen…" Ed smiled widely at her. "We would like to take you to our place…..You and Lucille can ride horses…..and I'll be there too….to guide them. You haven't ridden before, right?"

"No…not much actually."

"Well…..I'll be there. You won't have to worry any." Ed smiled. "I think you'll enjoy it."

"Sure!" Helen smiled. "Let's go!" And so they went to the Graf farm, where they would have picnics every summer. Helen went to the barn with Ed and he guided a horse out for her.

He helped her mount the horse and carefully gave her the reins. Ed Graf stayed close by to teach her some things she didn't know about riding. She almost fell off the horse, but he lent a hand and helped her steady herself. Lucille sat on her horse, just smirking at the way her brother was acting around this girl. And Mrs. Graf couldn't get enough of it and was taking photographs of their little outing. Mr. Graf had taken Helen home when their few hours of fun riding was finished, and Lucille helped her older brother put their two horses away.

"You like her…."

"Who?" Ed Graff asked.

"You know who….Don't play dumb with me, brother….You like Helen Lay and you know it."

"I think…..it's more than just like." He confessed.

"What?" Lucille asked, surprised.

"I think I love her…..Ever since a few years ago. Always coming here for picnics every summer….I know it sounds silly, but I can't help it." He explained.

"Why don't you ask her out?"

"She'll say no….Have you seen how she acts around Ed Walbrun? They like each other….A lot. You can tell."

(

Helen made it back home, and found a special little birthday surprise.

"Looks like one of your birthday guests came back, Helen." Fred smiled at his daughter.

"You don't mind, do you?" Eddie asked her, she was standing in front of him, the two just smiling at each other. "I've been wanting to ask you something."

"Is it about what happened earlier?" Helen laughed a little, but then the embarrassed feeling came on again.

"Actually….I think your grandma's right. Maybe we should be….boyfriend and girlfriend." Helen smiled as he said this.

"Sorry if this is a bit corny." Eddie laughed, and hooked a hand in his pocket and ran the other through his jet black hair.

"No. No, it's just fine." Helen giggled and smiled at him still.

"So….how 'bout it?" He asked, and grabbed her hand softly.

"I'd like that…" Helen smiled and nodded.

"And how old are you, young man?" Franziska Gruber asked him.

"I'm 23, Mrs. Gruber." He smiled.

"3 years…" She said. "Not a bad age difference!"

"Grandma…." Helen smiled, blushing.

"What? He's 23, you're 20...It's not too bad! All I'm saying!" Franziska grinned at her grandaughter.

**A/N: Found Fred Jr.'s obituary at my Grandma's house and I read that he worked for the Dubuque fire department and was an ambulance driver.**

**Just like in this chapter, the same man who robbed and beat my great great great grandma Franziska Gruber, tried it again on someone else a few weeks later…..A certain man saw it and started chasing him. The robber tried the same thing on him, but he wasn't hurt as bad. A crowd had been chasing the man, when someone (unknown) stopped him by blocking off the road with his truck until the police got there and sentenced the man 25 years in prison…The newspaper article and the man's name in this chapter is simply made up. :)**

**The birthday cards in this chapter were real. :) **

**Ed Graf and his sister Lucille were real people. Their part in this chapter was inspired by a few photos of them I found. Lucille and my great grandma Helen were on the horses, with Ed standing off to the side.**

**Ed Graf was indeed in love with Helen. But Helen wanted Eddie Walbrun instead. :)**

**My great grandpa Eddie's outfit in this chapter was from a picture of him. :) Dang, he was a good dresser! I like that style!**


	76. Chapter 76

A few months passed and it was now the middle of August, and the Lay's went to the Graff farm for a picnic like they did every summer. They all set out a large sheet where they placed all the food, and everyone just laid there on the grass around the sheet. Fred, as he did every year, brought a lot of homemade wine and beer for everyone. Little Joey Gruber, age 9, and his younger brother George, aged 6 were both looking up at their Uncle Fred as he was talking and laughing with the men, drinking his whiskey.

Fred spied down at his little nephews and grinned like a devilish little boy! He leaned over to little George and whispered in his ear. "You wouldn't want a little swig of this stuff, would ya, Pudge?" He snickered.

The little 6 year old nodded his head yes, surprisingly! And before his parents could say anything, his Uncle Fred actually gave him a little! "What about you, Joey?"

"Fred! What are you thinking? Giving the boys whiskey?" Frances got onto her husband.

"Oh, it won't hurt 'em!" He laughed. "If they're interested in it, why not?"

"If you keep it from them, they'll always wonder about it...Gives 'em something new to try out anyway." Joe Gruber, the boys' father said.

"I don't really want my kids drinking whiskey, thank you." Nona said.

"Okay, I won't give them anymore..." Fred said. "I promise." He looked down at his nephew George. "That stuff good?" He whispered, chuckling a little.

Little George said quietly, "Kinda." and ran off with his brother to go play.

Helen had brought Eddie to the picnic. They'd been dating for about 4 months now. She introduced the rest of the family to him, and to their friends as well. Ed Graff sat back quietly, but inside he felt blue. He wished he had gotten up the courage to even ask Helen out...but even so he had known his chances were very slim. He knew they had been dating a while now, and he was trying his best to get over her and move on...yet, he felt he couldn't.

Helen and Eddie were sitting out under a maple tree, watching the little kids play around.

"They're so cute." Helen laughed a little at her cousins. She giggled as one of the littlest one accidentally fell down, but just as quickly, got back up on their feet.

"Yeah...guess so." Eddie smiled and wrapped an arm around his girlfriend.

"Why do you guess so?" Helen smiled, laying her head against his chest and snuggled against him. "All kids are cute."

"Yeah..." Eddie smiled, and rubbed her arm and laid his hand on her waist. "Just never really thought about little kids before."

"That's okay." She smiled up at him. "I love you still." Helen laughed and kissed him.

"I really enjoyed meeting the rest of your family." He smiled. "They're just great."

"Good, I'm glad." Helen smiled and kissed his nose. Eddie chuckled and his nose started twitching. They both laughed.

"Aw, it's so cute!"

"What?" Eddie smiled.

"Your nose! It twitches just like a little bunny's would!" Helen giggled. "I'll call you that! "Bunnie" It's just too cute...like your nose!"

Eddie laughed a little.

"But the rest of you is just adorable!" Helen smiled and kissed him a few times. "Can you believe how long we've been dating already?"

"No...but .it's been a great few months." He smiled.

Helen had written a little note to him and gave it to him now. And he read it out loud. "_You're really pretty wonderful, and that's the reason why, I feel so lucky and so proud to know that you're "my guy_"..., _Helen_."

"I love you...Bunnie." She giggled again and kissed him.

"I'm crazy 'bout you, baby." Eddie smiled. "I loved your little note."

"Really did like meeting everyone...I'd like to take you home to meet my parents and siblings." He said after awhile.

"I'd like that." Helen smiled. "What are their names?"

"John Walbrun's my dad...my mother's name is Rosina, Oh you'll love her. She's a sweetheart... Anyway, I'm the second of four kids...First is Bert, then me, then there's Rosa, but we call her Rosey. Have ever since she was little...And John's the youngest."

"How old are you all?" She asked.

"Oh...Bert's 24. You know that I'm 23." He smiled. "Rosey's 16...and John is 13."

"Oh wow!...They sound wonderful, Eddie. I can't wait to meet them." Helen smiled.

"Was thinking of bringing you over today if it's okay with your parents."

"If it's alright with them, great."

"I'm sure Mother would want you to stay for supper. She's a wonderful cook!"

(

And so Eddie took her over to his parents' place. A cute little home with a white picket fence around the property. There was also a cute little arbor with vines and flowers all over it. They walked up the little sidewalk up to the house and a pretty young woman came out and met them. She was tall and thin as a rail, and her dark brown hair was pulled back into a bun. She wore a nice flowy skirt and pretty suit jacket. And though fairly tall, she wore high heels! Her brown eyes looked sweet and kind. And as pretty and thin as she was, you'd think she was a model of some kind.

"Bert!...Can't stay away from home, can ya?" He laughed. "She and Paul got married just last week." Eddie stated. "Bert robbed the cradle...the kid's only 19!" He laughed.

"Eddie...Age is just a number." Bert said. "Paul and I don't mind the five years between us."

"Well, congratulations on your marriage..." Helen smiled.

"Oh, thank you." Bert smiled widely..."And by the way, Eddie...Paul and I had lunch over here...plus I think I forgot a few of my things...Now, let me guess who this is...that girlfriend of yours...Helena, is it?" She asked and shook her hand.

"Just Helen..." She smiled.

"I'm Eddie's sister, Bert...It's nice to meet you!"

"Pleasure to meet you too...I don't mean to be rude, but is your name really Bert?"

Bert laughed. "Eddie didn't tell you?...No, it's not. Just a nickname!...My real name is Gilbertha...It's okay to laugh! People usually do...or they think it's just horrendous!...I never wished to be called that, or Bertha, or Berta. Or Gillie or anything like that, so I chose Bert...Plus, ANYTHING'S better than Gilbertha!" She laughed.

"You were more like my brother growing up anyway." Eddie joked. "Always with the boys."

"I was always with the boys so I could check them all out!" Bert laughed. "Wasn't stupid!...Anyway, enough talking out here, let's go inside!"

And so the three of them went in side where Bert introduced Helen to nearly everyone. "This my husband, Paul Ivor Bardrick...and this is our Father and Mother, John and Rose Walbrun..." Bert went over to her husband in the chair he was sitting in and sat on his lap. Her arms wrapped around him gently.

"I thought you said your mother's name is Rosina!" Helen turned to Eddie.

"Oh it is, people call her Rose instead."

Rosey Walbrun came downstairs and joined everyone. "Hi there..." She smiled at Helen. "Eddie, is this the girl you were telling us about?" Rosey was a pretty little thing, looked almost identical to her older sister Bert! Looking at them side-by-side, you'd think they were twins.

"Sure is!" Eddie smiled and wrapped an arm around Helen and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"She's nice-looking." The sixteen year old smiled. "Very pretty too."

"Why thank you." Helen smiled at her, then glanced at Bert, and then at Mrs. Walbrun. She noticed something about the women in the Walbrun family. All wore their hair pulled back in a bun.

"Hello Mother." Eddie smiled and kissed his mother on the cheek. "I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Helen Lay."

"Oh _ja, hallo_!" Rosina Schoberl Walbrun spoke in a broken English...You could really hear a German accent to her voice. Sometimes the German words would slip out while in the midst of speaking in English. "She is beautiful, Josef." Even in the way she said his first name, Joseph. The J sounded like a Y...She was the only person who was allowed to call him by his first name. He insisted in going by his middle name instead.

"Very...pleasedt...to meet you." She said, taking Helen by the hands. "You, ah...stay for supper, yes?" Rosina smiled. "I em vurking on mine English...It ist good, yes?"

"Yes Mother..." Eddie smiled a little. "Better everyday."

"Zank you, Josef!...Now, you stay for supper, yes?" She asked Helen again.

"Yes, thank you." Helen smiled. "Might I help you? I love to cook."

"She very sweet girl!..." Rosina smiled and nodded her head repeatedly. "I like her already!"

"Ve don't expect you to, ma'am." John Walbrun smiled. He was a very kind-looking gentleman. Always had a smile on his face. And he sounded almost identical to his wife in the way they spoke! Though, Mr. Walbrun didn't speak as much English as his wife did. He mostly spoke in his native tongue.

"Oh, I'd like to help though." She smiled.

"Can if you want to, I guess." Eddie said. "...Where's John at?"

"Still up in his room." Rosey said.

"I go get _ihm_..." Rosina said and went into the other room and called up the stairs. "John!...John, come down!"

"Why?" The thirteen year old hollered.

"You vill see...now, come, come! _Schnell_!" She said. "John Christ Walbrun!" She hollered as he wasn't listening and hadn't even come out of his room yet.

"I'm coming, Mother!" He shouted and soon trudged down the stairs.

"You vill listen next time!" She said firmly. "Right ven I say..."

"Yes Mother."

"Vhat ver you doingk up zere?"

"Resting..."

"You are young, my son! _Der_ young not need to rest!...You put in full day's work, _und_ zen you can rest...Now, come."

"Yes Mother."

Rosina and her youngest son walked into the room where they all were. Helen introduced herself to John.

"Hello...I'm Helen Lay, Eddie's girlfriend."

"Yeah..." The thirteen year old said. "Eddie told us all about you. You seem real nice." The boy told her and took a chair next to his sister and brother-in-law. He had a rounded little nose and full lips. Dark hair and brown eyes like the rest of his family. John looked a lot like his mother and a little like his father, like his sisters did.

"I go get supper on _der _table...Bert, you and Paul stay for supper as vell, tonight!" Rosina said, turning to them before she went into the kitchen.

"Thank you, Mother...I'll even lend you a hand in the kitchen!" Bert smiled, getting off from her husband's lap and followed her mother into the kitchen.

"I think I will too." Helen stated, and started to follow them.

"No, I'll do that!" Rosey said cheerily. "but thanks Helen!...Eddie, you go show her the upstairs!" She smiled. "Just don't get too carried away up there, you two!" Rosey joked.

"I'm goin' up to my room too...and you guys DON'T come in!" John told them.

"John!" Eddie scowled. "That was a little rude, don't you think?"

"Sorry!...My room's a mess! I don't want you seeing it!" The thirteen year old told them. Helen laughed softly. "Reminds me of my brother at his age."

"Kept a messy room too?"

"Yeah...plus he had his guns and furs everywhere."

"I knew I liked Freddie for a reason. He's a hunter."

"Yeah...Eddie loves hunting! He got all his guns in his room!" John piped up.

"Speaking of rooms..." Mr. Walbrun laid a hand on his son's shoulder. "Vhy don't you clean yours before supper? Hm?"

"Yes Father." He said, and slumped his shoulders and stomped a little upstairs to his room.

"I like your little brother." Helen chuckled and held Eddie's hand while they walked upstairs together. "Too funny sometimes!"

"Yeah.." Eddie smiled..."And he's usually a great kid. I don't know what's his deal with Mother and Father..."

"Oh Eddie, he's thirteen!" She said. "They get about that age and they get a little attitude!"

"Yeah. I guess you're right, babe." Eddie smiled and put an arm on her waist.

"You do A LOT of guessing..." Helen laughed and smiled at him.

"I guess I do." He chuckled.

Eddie showed her the upstairs. It was just composed of bedrooms. The first room when you came upstairs was Rosey's and next to that was Bert's old room. Bert's room was still set up like it was...though there was no furniture or pillows or covers on the bed. She had taken that with her. There were a few pretty pictures hanging up on the walls still. They walked out of that room, and across from it was a closed door, that was Eddie's parents room, but they didn't go in. Next to that room was another room, which was John's...and next to Bert's was Eddie's room. They went in and he showed her a lot of his things. His guns and furs, and a lot of his guns were in this large red fancy-looking wooden gun case. Looked like a huge dresser of some sort...Eddie had all sorts of Native American relics. Flint arrowheads, feathers of all sorts...there were even some Indian posters up on the walls...He also loved sports, so just about anything you could imagine, he played and had something of.

It was different being in his room, but Helen sat on his bed and tried to say something without showing she was nervous.

"You have a lot of interesting things in here."

"Yeah, I guess I'm just a barrel of interesting! I like things like guns...to things about Indians...to boxing...to the Martial Arts!" He chuckled.

Helen smiled and was quiet for a bit. But soon said something. "You parents are just wonderful. Your brother and sisters too."

"Thank you. John's a good kid...The girls are sweethearts, really...Though I don't know about Rosey sometimes, she just loves to tease!" Eddie laughed.

"I was wondering about what she said to us!" Helen said. "I mean, the most I've ever done with you is making out." She smiled a little.

"Oh, Rosey was just teasing about the Walbrun gene...When it comes to sex with us...we're always..." He began, but it was a little awkward.

"Do you...want to have sex...with me?" Helen asked him quietly.

"Well...yeah. Eventually." He smiled. "When you feel you're ready."

Helen sat on his bed and was quiet for a long time.

"I'm sorry if talking about this made you uncomfortable...I won't say anything more." Eddie began.

"No. It's not that...It's just...Eddie, I can't be ready for something I've never done before."

"True..." He said. "I guess...we just...do it when the time's right."

"Yeah." Helen smiled a little and leaned in so she was inches away from his face and her lips pressed against his. She went back and forth, kissing his top lip, and then his bottom one, turning her head and felt him do the same, while feeling his full lips on hers. He kissed the rest of her face and went to her mouth and used his tongue a little. Helen felt him grab her waist. She started breathing a little more heavily as he went back to her face and trailed down her cheek and then her neck with his lips and tongue...

"HOLY SMOKES!" They heard a voice shout out. "You always suck on a girl's face like that, Eddie?"

They immediately stopped what they were doing and snapped their heads to the door, Helen turning beat red!

"Well, do ya? Geez!"

"John...get out!" Eddie raised his voice. "Out of my room!"

"Heck no! I wanna watch!" 13 year old John grinned.

"John...Get!" Eddie said shoving his younger brother out the door.

"Can ya teach me how?"

"JOHN!" Eddie yelled.

"Mother says supper's ready...what I came for anyway. Not my fault I saw you guys..."

"Get your ass downstairs!" He said angrily.

"Shut up!" John said to his older brother and bounded down the stairs. "And you ain't supposed to cuss!" John came into the kitchen and sat down at the table, Helen and Eddie came down soon after that.

"Vhat was going on up zere?" Rosina asked. "I heard yellingk."

"John was being a pest."

"Was not!...I caught 'em swappin' spit!"

"John...you don't say such things at _der _supper table. Ist zere own business anyvays." His mother said.

"They should've locked the door or somethin' if they didn't wanna be..." John began.

"Zhat's enough from you, now." Mr. Walbrun told his son. "_Halt den Mund_." He said in German to him, meaning, "Shut up."

"Why are your parents okay with this?" Helen muttered. She was still red in the cheeks. Mrs. Walbrun noticed.

"It's okay, Helen!...It's natural thingk. Boy haz...uh...vhat ist it said? Feelings...for girlfriend...Girl ist same way to boyfriend...Zhat's normal!...Not vurry!"

Helen smiled a little, but she was still a little bit embarrassed.

"Now, come come! Zit down everyvone!...Ve eat now!" Rosina smiled, as Rosey and Bert and she were putting the last of their feast on the table.

"Ve have leg of lamb...very _gute_! Ah, also _Frickadellen_ vhich is German meatballs _und_ also ve hav _spaetzle_ too." _Spaetzle_ is a German flour and egg based homemade pasta.

"I love _spaetzle_ and meatballs!" Helen smiled.

"_Ja...gute_!" Rosina smiled. "Mine husband does not care for lamb much, zo I make two meats instead. Very easy...Ve also hav bread _und_ sauerkraut. You like, yes?" She asked, smiling.

"Yes." Helen nodded. "I grew up with German food...My Father's from Baden-Wurttemberg." She said as they all started eating.

"Ah, close to Bavaria, yes!" Rosina smiled. "Ve come from zere."

"My mother's parents are from Bavaria. My Grandpa told us some about their trip over to America.. It took them months to make the crossing of Germany to America. It was very rough and many were sea sick on the ship. One person died and was buried at sea...My grandparents, the Gruber's, didn't plan to stay long. Only six months to a year and then they had plans to return to Germany. They didn't though...They thought of America as wonderful, the land of milk and honey."

"Land flowing vith milk _und_ honey, _ja_!" Rosina nodded. "Very good story...I remember vhen ve came over. Trip vas hard and long, like you said. Many sea sick..._und_ some die."

"_Erzahlen sie die Tomaten_!" Mr. Walbrun laughed. In English it meant, "Tell her the tomato story!"

"Ah...vendors on ship vere selling tomatoes und I didn't know vhat it vas." Rosina chuckled.

"Funny story, really." Mr. Walbrun chuckled. "She called zem ...ah..."_Liebe Apfel_."..."love apples."

"I didn't know vhat zey vere!...Zhat's vhat I thought zey looked like...to me anyvay!" Rosina laughed and covered her face. "_Und_ I didn't like zem much anyvay."

They talked a little more about Germany and Rosina told Helen about her mother and father, Hans and Maria Schoberl...and her brother Michael...her other brother Gilbert, who's nickname was Wolfgang.

"Ve named Bert after _ihm._" Rosina smiled. "He _ist_ Catholic missionary priest in Brazil. Good man."

"That's very interesting." Helen smiled. "We're Catholic as well."

"Oh very nice!" Rosina smiled. And went on. "I also hav sister, Theresa Schoberl...and younger sister Katherine Schoberl Seldmair. She live in La Crosse, Wisconson. Has own shop for dresses."

"Dress shop, Mother. " Rosey smiled.

"_Ja_, dress shop...Zhat's vhat I said!" Rosina said. "Anyvay, _und_ zen _der_ youngest, _der_ baby, _ist_ John Schoberl. _Ihm_ and wife Annie live in Colorado Springs, Colorado."

"Bert and I plan on moving to Colorado. " Paul Bardrick said. "Hoping to set up a large cattle ranch somewhere between Kit Carson and Cheyenne Wells."

"_Ja_, but you two stay few years...Not be in such hurry!" Rosina said.

Mr. Walbrun chuckled a little and said in German, "Give us grandchild first!"

Paul laughed a little and held Bert's hand. She just smiled back at him.

"Tell another story, Mother! Please?" John asked.

"No...I sure Helen _ist_ done vith stories now."

"No, please tell another!" Helen smiled. "I like them."

"Tell the one about you and the college girls, Mother!" Rosey giggled. "That one was hilarious!"

"Oh." Rosina laughed a little. "Vell, I worked at girls college. I vas cook zere...One day I thought to hav little fun vith girls zere...I dippped...ah...vhat ist it called? Flannel...rounds pieces flannel in pancake batter., vithout zem knowingk...Ze girls chewed and chewed and chewed! I sought zere jaws vould fall off!" She laughed as well as everyone else.

"Mother was always a bit of a trickster." Eddie laughed. "Gotta love a good sense of humor."

Suppertime was over and then they sat down to some apple strudel. After that, Helen helped them clear the plates and things.

"You very sweet girl." Rosina smiled and laid a hand on her shoulder. "So glad my Josef met you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Walbrun." Helen smiled. "I loved being here tonight."

"Ve be seeing a lot more of you, yes?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am...I would like that."

**A/N: A lot, if not all of these little things I included in this chapter are true! Let me start and see if I can name them all...**

**Fred Lay gave his grandkids whiskey! Lol. In this chapter I used his nephews...but if I remember correctly, he may have even given them some as well! Always ended up with Frances getting after him for it. Lol.**

**Every summer, about every two or three weeks, they would gather at the Graff farm for picnics. They'd spread out a sheet and put the food on it, and they'd sit and lay around it...Fred would always bring a lot of homemade beer and wine.**

**For some reason, I guess Eddie never really liked kids. I don't get it.**

**Eddie was into guns and hunting and loved sports. He played on a football team when he was in the C.C.C in the 1930's...I think he may have been interested in Indians things, and that's why my grandfather, his son, was as well.**

**The little note Helen gave Eddie, was actually part of a Christmas card she gave him tears ago. :)**

**Helen called Eddie "Bunnie" because his nose would twitch. Lol...It was either that, or...something else. Lol...Eddie signed all of his cards he ever gave to her, "Love, Bunnie" :D**

**Gilbertha Walbrun was actually named Gilbertha after her Uncle Gilbert Schoberl who was a Catholic Missionary priest in Brazil...They actually called Gilbertha, Bert! :) She married Paul Ivor Bardrick...She was 5 years older than he was! Lol. :) They set up a large cattle ranch somewhere between Kit Carson and Cheyenne Wells, Colorado with the $40,000 Paul came back with from WW2...They later sold that place, and set up a dairy farm in Minnesota...Bert and Paul never had any kids of their own, but my grandpa said she was a most wonderful aunt to all of her nieces and nephews. Not much is said about Paul, though...I think there was a picture where Eddie, him, and my grandpa and some friends had caught some game or fish or something and they were all standing around with their beers. (Well, my great grandpa Eddie was!) Paul was a tall man, I remember from looking at the picture.**

**Uh yeah...there's this Walbrun 'gene' I guess you could say involving sex...I think you know what I mean. Lol. **

**All the people I desrcibed in this chapter were real. :)**

**Rosina Schoberl Walbrun spoke in a broken English, so I hope you caught that when reading her 'lines'...The words in italics are the actual German words...John Walbrun, her husband, spoke mostly in German, I believe. Didn't speak in English well.**

**The story I used about Rosina and the college girls, putting the flannel in the pancake batter and having them chew on it was true! Lol...And it's either her, or it was my great great great grandmother Franziska Gruber that didn't know what tomatoes were and called them "love apples." on their trip to America...I believe it was Rosina.**

**Sorry if I've forgotten something...but if you have a question, feel free to message me! :) Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!**


	77. Chapter 77

_She was laying on her bed, smiling as he was grazing his fingertips over her waist and leg. She wriggled a little beside him and giggled as he was kissing her neck._

"_Bunnie…" She whispered._

"_What?" He grinned._

"_That tickles!" She laughed. She felt him continue and she kept giggling, she couldn't stop. She wriggled and squirmed, laughing. "I'm ticklish there, I can't help it!" She laughed. There she lay gazing up at him as he had lightly pinned her to the bed and kissed her on her lips. He moved down and kissed her waist and she glanced down at him, smiling, running a hand through his dark hair._

"_Stop it!" She giggled as he had his hands on her inner thighs. _

"_You are ticklish aren't you?" He laughed. "This should be fun!" Those brown devilish eyes gleamed at her. Those thick lips of his turned upward in a smirk, and he then placed his face between her legs..._

Helen's eyes opened suddenly and she sat up in her bed. "That was an….interesting dream. I kind of liked it." Her thin lips formed into a smile…..She sighed a little disappointedly. "I always wake up at the best part!" She sighed again with a smile on her face and flopped onto her back. "But I can think about what could've happened!" She smiled. Helen turned her head and saw his picture on her dresser. It was of just his face to his shoulders, but you could tell he looked sharp, dressed in a suit and tie. His black hair was parted and combed back. He had thick eyebrows and his brown eyes seemed to stare at the camera. His smile showed none of his teeth, but it was still just as perfect!

"You're so….sexy." She grinned, looking at the picture.

Fred suddenly stood there in her bedroom doorway that connected to the other bedroom. White shirt, tan pants, and suspenders hanging down. By the looks of him, he was up and getting ready for work. "Who are you talking to?" He had a strange look on his face.

"Nobody Papa…." She said quickly. "Just me here."

"Uh huh…." He glanced at her. "You just woke up?"

"Yeah…and I have to get ready! Eddie's taking me out today." Helen sprang up out of her bed and went to her dresser.

"Where to?"

"Roshek's Department Store! He's taking me to lunch!"

"Roshek's, huh?"

"Yeah…Either that or Robert's!"

"Are things getting real serious?" Fred asked.

"Maybe!" Helen smiled eagerly and raised her eyebrows.

"You kids be careful…." He chuckled putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Pa!" Helen laughed as he kissed her on the cheek. "Don't worry!"

"I've got to watch out for that pesky daughter stealer." Fred laughed.

Helen smiled, but rolled her eyes at her father. "Eddie's a good guy, Papa."

"He is…." Fred nodded.

"So you're saying?"

"Whoever you think of settling down with….make sure of that and that it's with someone you love."

"I'm not thinking of settling down right now!" She laughed.

"I know…" He chuckled and brought her into an embrace. "I'm just your father…." Fred began.

"Eddie's here! I've got to go!...Bye Pa!" She said, letting go of her father and bounded out the door.

Fred stood at the door for a second watching his daughter, and went into the kitchen and found his wife in her pinkish-white housecoat, at the stove waiting for some eggs to boil.

"Wanna make me some bacon to go with those?" He asked, sitting down to a cup of coffee.

"I'm going to….you know I always do." Frances said, laying a few slices of fresh toasted bread on his plate. She started frying up the bacon and brought some of the hard boiled eggs to the table.

"Happy Birthday, you old man." She joked and bent down to kiss him on the cheek. "How does it feel to be 48 today?"

"Come on Frances…September 30th, it's just another day…"

"It is not." Frances insisted. "It's the day you were born, it's special."

"Seems like Helen forgot…." Fred said. "Didn't even wish me a happy birthday before she left with Eddie this morning…And she always remembers my birthday."

"She didn't forget! She going to make you a birthday supper…and I'm baking you a cake. She wanted to surprise you…..so pretend I didn't say anything." Frances winked at him.

Fred grinned and grabbed her by the waist and brought her close to him. "So…..where's that bacon, already?" He chuckled a little.

"You…" Frances smirked and rolled her eyes a little, grabbing his plate and went to the stove to fetch his bacon.

(

"Hey baby!" Eddie grinned as she flew into his arms and gave him a little peck on the lips. He couldn't help but have his eyes scan her body. "Gosh, you look great."

"You look great yourself." Helen smiled and kissed him again. "So where to?"

"Roshek's….And I don't know about you, but I'm starving already! C'mon." Eddie said, and opened the door to his father's automobile he was borrowing for the occasion, helped her in, and they drove off to the Roshek's Department Store on 8th and Main. It was a large department store and sold clothing, shoes, household items and other things a department store would sell, but they also had an eating place there called Roshek's Packet Room. Eddie and Helen took a table for themselves and looked at the menu together. The menu was light blue and white and had a ship's wheel on the front of it.

Helen was looking at the front page, the Chef Specials. "Chopped Roundsteak…$1.25…..Breaded Pork Tenderloin…$1.00….Grilled Beef Tenderloin, $1.25….Hot Roast Beef or Pork Sandwich, 90 cents…..French-fried Jumbo Shrimp, $1.50….Fried Select Oysters, $1.50."

"It all sounds good." Eddie stated. "Hard to choose!"

"I think I'll get the hot roast beef sandwich….it's the cheapest thing on the menu. " She said. "Although,….the Fried Select Oysters sound really good….Served with French-fried potatoes and a tossed salad….Hm."

"You want the oysters, then order them!" Eddie smiled.

"No. It's way too much…."

"No, it's not…..If you can wear it, eat it or use it in some way, it's worth the money."

"Eddie…"

"Don't Eddie me!" He laughed. "You want the oysters, you'll get them! Don't worry, I can cover it all."

"You're sure?...Because I can…" Helen began.

"Baby, I'm sure. Now you pick out a drink for yourself."

"Well, alright then…" She said.

"You two ready for your orders?" The waitress asked.

"I can order…." Eddie replied. "I'll take a Reuben sandwich….and a cup of coffee."

"Yes sir, Reuben sandwich. That's grilled corn beef, cheese, and sauerkraut on rye…and it's served with potato chips."

"That's just fine, thank you."

"Alright, a Reuben sandwich, potato chips and a cup of coffee….Will you be wanting a dessert with your meal?"

"Uh, not right now, thank you."

"Okay, and for your lady?"

"I'd like the fried select oysters, please…..and a lemonade." Helen smiled.

"Dessert with that?"

Helen turned to Eddie.

"Get whatever you want, baby." Eddie chuckled at her.

"Would you like to split something with me? I really need to cut down."

"No, ya don't." He smiled.

"Yes I do! I eat one chocolate bar and I gain 10 pounds!" Helen whispered, but chuckled a little.

"You look just fine." Eddie whispered. "And yes, I'll split something with you."

Helen smiled. "I think the Hot fudge sundae with cashews sounds so good! Is that okay with you?"

"Sure…." Eddie smiled.

"Ya got all that?" He asked the waitress.

"I think so!...Reuben sandwich, complete with potato chips, a cup of coffee….and for her, the fried select oysters, served with French-fried potatoes and a tossed salad, and a lemonade for her to drink…I'll be right back with your meals and your dessert will be coming later! Hope you enjoy eating at Roshek's!" The waitress smiled, and walked off.

"You're sure you can afford all this? I ordered so much and it's so expensive compared to yours."

"I'm sure…" Eddie smiled. "Thanks to a good job."

"How is work?" Helen asked him.

"Going surprisingly well….they've got us doing stone work up at Eagle Point Park. Planting trees….It's hard work, but I enjoy it." He said. "Look, don't worry one bit about the money…..You're worth it."

"Aw…." Helen smiled. "You're too sweet."

"You are…" Eddie smiled, holding her hand. "You're perfect." He said, and brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

Helen blushed and smiled at him. "I love you." She came close to kissing him, but the waitress came with their food.

"Fried Select Oysters, French-fried potatoes and tossed salad…and your lemonade, ma'am."

"Thank you."

"And your Reuben sandwich and your potato chips, sir….And I'm sorry, I forgot to ask if you wanted milk and sugar in your coffee."

"Straight black is fine with me, thanks."

"Okay. Then here's your coffee!" She smiled, laying it down in front of him…. Hope you both enjoy your meal, and I'll bring your dessert by whenever you're ready for it."

"Thank you, ma'am." Eddie said and the waitress walked off to deal with some other customers.

"Well, let's dig in!" He chuckled and they started eating. They started talking about his work in the C.C.C. "Like I said…it's hard work. Building roads and stonework , planting trees up at the park….but I like it. Work to do, 3 meals a day and I'll have a nice bed to sleep in….Good money. Most of it gets sent to my folks, but I do get to keep some. I usually can't spend it, but you're worth it. I wanted us to enjoy ourselves a little before I leave….."

"You're leaving?" She asked, a little shocked.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, baby…..They're stationing me in Red Wing, Minnesota….and I'll spend a little time in Fordyce, Arkansas."

"When are you leaving? How long will you be gone?" Helen asked.

"In a few weeks…I'll be gone maybe a month or two. Not long…Baby, I want to serve my country someday. Being in the C.C.C. makes me feel like I am. I love it…"

"I don't know how I feel about that…." Helen said quietly. She was quiet for a little while.

Eddie sighed a little, and took a sip of his coffee, which was now cooled down quite a bit. "Bought you a nice lunch…..ya probably think it's a way of softening the blow….I just wanted us to enjoy ourselves."

"I never said anything like that, Eddie!" She said. "I believe you." Helen smiled at him.

"I'd like to take you shopping too. You deserve it." Eddie smiled. "I think I'll have a little money left after I pay for our food." He laughed, leaning on his elbows on the table.

"If it's too much, then no…." She said, shaking her head.

"Now don't tell me no." He smirked. "If I want to, I want to….You're my girl!"

The waitress brought them their ice cream sundae, hot fudge with cashews. It looked delicious!

"Eddie, I'm putting my foot down! If it's too much, I don't want you to spend things on me! You can't always…." She was saying determinedly, until he spoke up.

"I've got enough money! And I can spend it on you now and again if I want to…..now would you stop your gabbing and share this ice cream sundae with me?" He laughed.

"Okay, fine." She smiled and grabbed her spoon, and took a bite. "Mmm, this is so good!"

Eddie grinned, digging his spoon into the ice cream. "Yeah man!"

Helen giggled at him. "Enthusiastic, aren't you?"

(

Fred was out on the back porch, trying out a new recipe for bock beer. He always had his little beer crock on the back porch, with a dish pan over it. The old tom cat loved to sit in the dish pan, which was in the sun, and he always lay there or slept there.

"Outta here, Thomas…" Fred chuckled at the old cat, and got him out of the way so he could get to work! Fred boiled a kettle of water with malt in it for an hour or so. He was making the wort for the beer…..He had some already with some yeast added to it that had been fermenting for about 4 weeks. He added corn sugar to the mixture went into the house.

He walked into the kitchen, with Thomas curling around his legs. "Thom, ya dumb cat." Fred chuckled. "Get off of my legs!"

"Is he helping you brew?" Frances chuckled and picked up Thomas and petted him.

"Either that or he doesn't want me to!" He laughed.

"I'll try and keep him out of your way then." Frances laughed, petting Thomas on the head and down his back a few times. "What do you need, honey?"

"Just a dish towel."

"What's wrong with that old dish pan?"

"Ah, it's all dirty….needs to be washed."

"I'll wash it then, where is it?" Frances asked her husband.

"Oh….Outside." He pointed behind him at the door with his thumb.

"Why didn't you bring it in?"

Fred shrugged. "Wasn't thinking about it…."

"Just like a man." Frances laughed and patted his arm.

"Anyway, can I have that towel?"

"Sure." She said went to where she put her linens and other cloths. "I'll follow you out and get that dishpan." Frances followed her husband out and got the old dirty dishpan and went back inside.

Fred put the dish towel on his almost ready crock of bock beer. He let the wort for his newer brew cool down and was about to go inside when he saw Thomas on the ledge again sprawling out in the sun.

"A nap sounds like a good idea there, Thom." Fred chuckled and scratched the cat on his ears and went inside to the front room and sat in his chair for a short nap.

Thomas the tom cat stretched out in the sun, his claws retracting out and back in his paws again. He let out an almost silent meow and got up and stalked down the window ledge to the crock of bock beer with the towel over it. Thomas pawed at it and looked closer at it and walked on it, thinking he could lay down and nap, but instead, he fell into the beer crock! He soon climbed out of the crock, soaked with beer! He trudged his little beer soaked furry body inside and into Fred and Frances' bedroom, leaving a little trail of fresh beer foam behind him. Frances was busy baking, so she didn't see him come in. She went to her pantry for something and it was then when she discovered the trail of beer foam.

"My goodness, did Fred leave a mess again?" She went outside to see if he did. She saw the crock of bock beer, with part of the towel laying in it. Beer was dripping down the side, and she found the start of the little beer foam trail and began following it. She saw her husband sleeping in his chair in the front room, but the beer foam trail leading into the bedroom. "Well, ain't this strange." She walked into their bedroom and saw the little trail had led to the bed. She lifted the bed covers and looked underneath the bed and saw Thomas licking himself, reeking of bock beer!

"Well, this explains the beer foam trail!" Frances chuckled. "Thomas, you silly cat!...Let's get you cleaned up." She said, reaching for the cat, but he hissed a little, pawed at her, and sank further under the bed to lick himself clean.

"Fine then! Have it your way." Frances left their bedroom and went and cleaned up the little beer foam trail, re-adjusted the towel over the beer crock, and went inside to finish her baking. Fred had woken up and gone outside to enjoy his new recipe of bock beer. He stayed out on the back porch awhile and later went inside as he drank the last glass he could get out of the whole crock. "You know, honey?" He said, as he drank the very last drop of beer from his large, tall beer mug.

"What Fred?"

"That was the BEST bock beer I've ever made!"

Frances instantly started laughing! She laughed so much her sides ached.

"Now what's so damn funny?...Why are you laughing about it? I seriously think that was the best recipe I ever brewed!"

"I'm sorry…." She laughed. "I'm sorry!...It's just, it's so funny!"

"I don't see how it's so funny." Fred said.

Frances quieted down a little and was finally able to talk…."Um, I think you added a little extra ingredient!" She laughed, covering her mouth to try to stop her laughter.

"I did not! It was the same as always….Other than the fermenting stage."

"Yeah, you did." She chuckled. "Thomas fell into the beer crock!" Frances laughed till tears came.

"He did not." Fred gave her a look.

"He did. He did!...I found a little foam trail in the kitchen leading to our bedroom! Found him under the bed licking away." Frances laughed.

Fred glared just a little and blinked at her. He didn't seem too angry or upset though.

"Oh lighten up! Laugh!" Frances smiled, putting her hands on her husband's face. "It's funny!"

Fred cracked a smile and chuckled. "I guess it is pretty humorous….I've got to see this to believe it."

Frances went into the bedroom and coaxed Thomas out from under the bed. "He STILL smells like bock beer!" She laughed. "I'm going to have to give him a bath."

"He probably drank some! Let's just hope he's not drunk!" Fred laughed. "I feel a bit woozy myself."

"You go sit down….I'll go bathe the cat." Frances laughed again at the thought of it.

"He won't like that, I bet!" Fred chuckled and sat down in his chair.

"Too bad!...I want him clean!" She said. "If he bites me, it's your fault!" Frances laughed.

"Think it's the cat's fault for falling in the beer crock." Fred said to himself. He stretched himself, yawning and put his hands behind his head. "Still the best bock beer I ever brewed…."

(

The waitress came to Helen and Eddie's table when they were finished with their dessert finally. "Your total comes to 3 dollars and 15 cents, sir."

Eddie paid for their meal and dessert and got up to help Helen out of her chairs. "Shall we go shopping?...I've got a few bucks left."

"You told me not to tell you no." Helen smirked, those daring dark brown eyes gazed at him. He loved that look and grinned at her.

"Let's go." He said. "Buy you somethin' real nice."

They took the stairs and she went straight to the perfumes.

"You want perfume? Pick out a bottle." He grinned. "What's that one you got in your hand?"

Helen stood there, just taking in its scent. "Mmmmm….Tabu by Dana….Smell it! It's beautiful….rich….warm and spicy….sort of woodsy. I like it."

Eddie took a whiff of the perfume, and deeply breathed it in. He even liked it. "Sexy….Intoxicating….beautiful." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Like you…" He whispered, smiling. "Hm….What a face." He said, trailing her jawline and cheek and over her lips with his finger. His touch sent shivers through her body!

Helen smiled and looked away then looked at him again. "Can I get the perfume….and we can get out of here?" She chuckled.

"Agreed." Eddie smiled. He walked her out after he paid for the perfume.

"Thank you…." She said, and kissed him. "Lunch was wonderful and thank you especially for the perfume! I can't wait to wear it."

"Glad you like it." Eddie smiled, and held her hand.

"Oh, and I almost forgot!" Helen said as they were getting into the automobile. "Papa's birthday is today…..You're invited. I'm cooking supper."

"I treat you, you treat me….It's a win-win!" He chuckled a little. Eddie smiled as she laughed at his comment. He drove her home and they went inside.

"Thomas!" Helen smiled and picked up her mother's favorite cat and petted him. "Um….Mama….Why does Thomas smell like Pa's beer?"

Frances chuckled and explained how Thomas fell into the beer crock and went through the kitchen and into the bedroom, leaving the beer foam trail behind him. She told the story quite a few times today! Frances had told her mother when she had come downstairs after a nap, and Fred Jr. and his wife Irene and daughter Marlene were there earlier for a little cake to celebrate Fred's birthday. "I gave him a bath, but I guess he smells like it still."

"What kind of beer?" Eddie asked.

"Bock!" Fred exclaimed. "Best beer I ever brewed. Ever brewed in my life!...Hello sweetheart." Fred aimed for her forehead, but he kissed his daughter right between the eyes, instead.

"Are you a little drunk, Papa?" Helen chuckled.

"Just a little tipsy! I'm okay…I feel fine!..._Wunderbar_!" He exclaimed, slinking back into his favorite chair. "So, you a drinkin' man there, Eddie?"

"Me?...Yeah, I like my beer."

"Frances! Bring this guy out a Star beer!...I'll take another too."

"I guess I'll start on supper." Helen said and followed her mother into the kitchen.

"Ya like Dubuque Star, kid?" Fred grinned.

"Yeah, it's okay."

"Some folks say it's gotta be really cold, or you gotta be drunk as hell just so's you can drink it!" Fred laughed. "Don't make no difference to me! I work there….bottle the stuff. I like it…..I do love my German beer and whiskey though."

"So you work at the Dubuque Star Brewery." Eddie said.

"Yup!...Worked at Dubuque Malting and Brewing Company too…and at another brewery in Pennsylvania when I lived there." Fred went on. "I make my own too…..Made some today. Was a good brew.…minus the tom cat." Fred laughed and so did Eddie.

"Frances, where's the beers?" Fred bellowed. "_Schnell_!...please." He said.

"I'm coming with them! Wanted to make sure they were cold enough." She said, as she brought two large bottles of the dark brew with the red and white label. They both drank their beers and talked until supper time. Helen had made a meal of hamburger, fried potatoes and onions, with a little bit of tomato sauce for extra flavoring. They had a cake for Fred's birthday after they were done with supper. Helen walked with Eddie to the front door as her parents were in the kitchen.

"So you had a nice time with my father tonight."

"Yeah, he's a neat guy…I enjoyed talking with him. Getting to know him better."

"Did you mention how you're leaving?"

"Yeah….I mentioned work a little bit…..I'm going to miss you. Good thing I'll only be gone a month!" He smiled.

"Eddie…I'm going to miss you so much, I don't want you to leave." Helen softly wrapped her hands on the back of his neck and kissed him and felt herself lean against her bedroom door, which slightly opened. "I didn't mean to do that." She breathed, walking into her room and stood against the wall.

"Are you already wearing your Tabu perfume?" He could smell it on her neck.

"Yeah…I wondered when you would notice." She smiled a little.

"Maybe it's a sign…." He smiled a little. "I've been patient, waiting for you….You turn me on! I can't help it!" Eddie grinned and held her.

"I've been thinking about it a lot lately too…." Helen breathed.

"Can we…." Eddie started to say.

"Oh not here!" Helen blushed…"If my parents found out, I don't know what I'd do!"

"Tell them you're a grown woman….in love." He whispered, kissed her neck and once again took a breath of the strong, sexy aroma of the Tabu perfume. Eddie kept kissing her neck and fondled her clothed body and ran hand up her blouse to touch her even closer. "We can lock the door…" He whispered, his hand on the doorknob.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this…." She whispered. "As much as I want it."

"Thinking about it and wanting it shows you're ready…."

"Thinking about it….it's a lot different than actually doing it…" Helen looked at him.

"Okay…." Eddie said softly. "I'll wait then." He tenderly kissed her goodnight, and walked out the front door to his father's car, and drove home.

**A/N: Rosek's Department Store was a place Helen would take my mother and her siblings (her grandchildren) It had a little eating place called the Rosek's Packet Room. I included some of the menu in this chapter. Seems like some really good food!...Robert's was another place she would take them. Also known as Robert's Smorgastable and Restaurant. :) **

**The perfume, Tabu by Dana was a 1930's perfume which Helen wore. :) My mom always said it smelled like an old lady's perfume. Lol….I looked at other peoples reviews to the fragrance, and they described it as having ****top notes of bergamot, coriander, neroli, orange, and spices; a heart of clove bud oil, clover, jasmine, narcissus, oriental rose, and ylang ylang; and a base of amber, benzoin, cedar, civet, moss, musk, patchouli, sandalwood, and vetiver. Some had said it's smell was like a brew of maple syrup, patchouli and incense. Tabu has been described as a beautiful, earthy, sexy, seductive scent...It's been said that Tabu was created for prostitutes! Oh boy, if my great grandma Helen knew that, she'd probably flip! And to think she wore the perfume! !**

**The C.C.C. stood for the Civilian Conservation Corps for young, unmarried men. Eddie was a part of it in the 1930' had him working on building roads, stonework and planting trees at Eagle Point Park in Dubuque. Hard work, but he enjoyed it very much….He also worked a bit before 1935 on a couple of Mississippi riverboats. He was also stationed in Red Wing, Minnesota and also in Fordyce, Arkansas. The C.C.C. trained the young men for WW2…..The C.C.C. camp payment was $30.00, or $1.00 a day of $25.00 got sent home to the young man's folks, and he got to keep $5.00.**

**The story of the tom cat falling into Fred's beer crock, the cat climbing out of it, going through the kitchen and into Frances' room (she and Fred had different rooms, which was connected by a walk-in closet) and leaving a trail of beer foam behind that Frances later came across was true! And she had a favorite cat named Thomas, who was a tom cat, so it probably was Thomas who fell into the beer crock. For some reason, Frances didn't tell Fred about the cat being in the beer crock until he said to her, "That was the best bock beer I've ever made!"….. I thought it was so funny, and used my imagination. Hope you too found it humorous!**

**The meal I used that Helen made, the hamburger, potatoes and onions…..was an actual meal she made. It was a meal from the Great Depression…..I made it awhile back and my family loves it! :)**


	78. Chapter 78

Fred was working with his co-workers at the Dubuque Star brewery a few days later. He was pouring the brew that was being made into a fermenter, when he felt a certain fullness in his chest. He tried to ignore it, but it was to no avail. It kept on. To the point where it brought a little pain.

"You okay, there, Fred?" A young man asked him, seeing Fred with a hand on his chest.

"Having a little chest pain, Ben..."

"Do you need a doctor? Why don't you sit down, take it easy..."

"I don't need a doc, I'll be fine." He said, taking a seat in a chair. "I'll just take a seat here and rest a minute." Fred sat there, hands on his knees, and breathed deeply.

"Having trouble breathing?"

"No...I'm fine." Fred answered. "Guess I'm just getting older." He chuckled.

"I think you should go home early. I'll go say something to the boss."

"Ben..."

"Better to be safe than sorry, Mr. Lay." Ben told him and went off to go talk to their boss man. He later returned.

"Boss says you can head out. Go home to your wife...I'd visit the doc while you're at it, Fred."

"No worries...I'll be okay."

And so Fred left the building, got into his old Model T Ford and drove home. It was a warmer day in early October, so Frances was hanging out laundry on the clothesline, when she saw her husband pull up, get out of the car and walk up their little sidewalk. Whatever was going on inside of him, started up again, and it was getting a bit worse this time.

"Well you're home early..." Frances exclaimed, walking down the length of the clothesline and met him by the well. "Fred, are you alright?" She laid hands on his shoulders and he seemed to lean against her, clutching his heart.

"Some chest pain..." He said, still holding his chest.

"I'll go call the doctor..." She said, as calm as she could be, though inwardly, she was scared to death!

"I don't need no doctor!" Fred insisted. "I'll be okay."

"I'm not taking any chances, Fred! I'm calling the doctor." Frances said and quickly guided him inside, through the kitchen, and had him sit by the window in her rocking chair. She walked over to the nice little wooden shelf where they kept their telephone, and rung up the doctor's number, explaining what was happening.

"I've got him sitting down right now..." She said, glancing over at him, worried. But she breathed with relief as the doctor said he would be over to their place as soon as possible. The doctor came by ready with the tools he needed.

"Having some chest pain, are ya now, Fred?" He asked.

"Little bit..." Fred breathed out, almost with a chuckle.

"Well, let's see if we can hear what's going on..." The doctor got his stethoscope from his bag. "If you'll just unbutton your shirt, please."

Fred started to unbutton his shirt halfway, and the Frances noticed he was having just a bit of trouble.

"Honey, I'll help you the rest of the way..." She smiled at him, unbuttoned his white shirt and helped him take it off, which made things go a lot more quicker. The doctor took his stethoscope and put it to Fred's hairy chest. He listened to his heartbeat, yet began to talk with Fred, keeping his mind off of it awhile.

"You're an inked man!" The doctor chuckled. "German eagle there, I see."

"Yeah..." Fred grinned, looking at the ink on his arm. "Got that while I was in the German army." He looked at the other tattoo on his other upper arm. Both tattoos were faded. "Can't remember this one...probably got it when I was drunk." He laughed a little to himself. "Probably got both of them when I was drunk, come to think of it!" Fred kidded, and he and the doctor had a good laugh.

Well, the doctor finished the visit after that. And finally told them the outcome. "Looks like you've had a slight heart attack, Mr. Lay."

Frances put her hands on her husband's shoulders. Fred didn't seem very alarmed, though.

"Doesn't seem to scare you any..."

"Well, doc...yeah, maybe a little. Both my parents died of heart trouble when I was very young."

"Kind of a wake-up call, then." The doctor said.

"I guess so...I'm as healthy as a horse though, doc..." Fred argued, with a laugh."Yeah, I've got a few bad habits, but not enough to kill me!"

"True...and this heart attack wasn't bad enough to kill you...but there's things you can do to prevent this happening more worse than the last time."

"I guess so..."

"Just call me if anything happens again..."

"We will, Doctor." Frances told him, seeing him out the door. She walked back to her husband and helped him with his shirt again.

"You can just take it easy, honey. You can stay here or in your favorite chair in the other room."

"Frances, I'm okay..."

"You just had a heart attack, Fred John!" She raised her voice a little, tears finally welling up in her eyes.

"Well, I'm alright now!" He said, getting up from the rocking chair. Frances placed her hands on his shoulders, which moved to his chest.

"Please...rest. I'll get what you need to stay comfortable." She said, gazing up into his gray eyes. "You really made me worried."

"I'm okay." He said, and held her hands in his.

"Just please, take it easy...In case it comes back again."

Fred kissed her forehead and looked at her, and gave in. "Alright...I'll take it easy. For the rest of the day."

"Fred."

"Okay!" He laughed. "For a few days if it makes you happy. We'll see how I feel then."

(

Some days later Frances was sitting in her rocking chair, watching the cars and people go by, like she usually did every day. She saw an old-fashioned motored ambulance pull up across the way by the neighbors, the Hedrick's. She saw that her son, Fred Jr. was in the driver's seat so she went out to talk to him.

"Everything alright, Freddie?"

"Hey Mama." Fred Jr. leaned his head out the window and kissed his mother on the cheek. "No actually...Sounds like old Mr. Hedrick's had a heart attack."

"Oh my...Will he be alright?"

Fred Jr. was solemn and shook his head no. "Word is, he's passed away. Just taking care of his corpse."

"That's too bad...We'll have to make it to the wake. Do you know when it is?"

"Tomorrow...10 to 5." He said. "Don't know about you, but I won't be going to that man's funeral. Too many things he's done to ruin this neighborhood." Fred Jr. said, shaking his head. "Never liked him."

"Freddie, it was only one thing...At least go to his wake. Try and be neighborly."

"Alright, I'll go...but just the wake."

"And how about you, Irene and my little granddaughter come for supper afterward? Helen and Eddie will be here too."

"Alright, I'll let Irene know. She'll want to bring something." Fred Jr. smiled a little.

"Speaking of which, I should make something for the Hedrick's."

"You always think of someway to help out, Mama." Fred Jr. smiled.

"Though this man's been quite a rotten neighbor, they need a little something at this time."

The next day was the wake for old Mr. Hedrick. Mrs. Hedrick and her daughters Marie and Evelyn, with other family members, were standing over by the casket, people paying their respects to the man. Mr John De Wachter, the funeral director was there as well.

Young Frank Tharpe shook the women's hands, and his eyes seemed to light up a bit when his hand touched Marie's. They stood there talking awhile.

"They really like each other. I bet you something's going on there." Helen whispered to her mother.

"I don't think so...I hear Frank's going to marry the sister."

"Why would he do that?! Mama, you can tell he loves Marie!" She whispered. "Just look at them together!"

"It's their own business."

"Yeah, that's true."

Frances and her family went up and talked with the family, and then walked up to the casket and paid their last respects to old Mr. Hedrick.

Just then an older woman burst through the doors and went up by the casket.

"Oh no...Klopper Kate! This can't go well." Helen whispered. Klopper Kate was a tough old pioneer woman who also lived out near Peru Road where the Lay's lived. Her real name was Kate Kinztle, and was called Klopper Kate because of the klick-klop sound that her old horse made as it plodded on down the road to the market.

"I bet she'll just pay her last respects to the family." Fred said.

"Pa, you forgot..." Fred Jr. said. "Old Kate Kintzle has had that life long feud with Mr. Hedrick. They hated each other!"

"I don't think she'd do something at a time like this...It's not the time or place."

Kate went straight to the casket and did something no one expected!

"Hedrick, you son of a bitch! You poisoned my dog, now you're dead too!" She said, shaking her fist in the corpse's face and walked right out of the funeral parlor! The Hedrick women stood there silent...as did everyone else in the funeral parlor. Everyone in the neighborhood knew the Hedrick's were notorious for dog poisoning!

"Who'd know after all these years someone would get back at old Hedrick!" Fred laughed, as his family was back at the house in the front room. "And who'd know it'd be old Buckskin Annie!" He laughed again, remembering the old woman's outburst at the funeral parlor.

"Why was she called "Buckskin Annie" if her name was Kate?" Eddie wondered.

"Oh, I forget why!..." Fred laughed. "Not important anyway."

"Old Hedrick poisoned nearly every dog in this neighborhood, it seemed like." Frances quietly said. "Well, what's done is done...you can't change it."

"He poisoned our Skippy." Fred Jr. spoke up. "What a good old dog."

"I remember Skippy!" Helen smiled.

"Gosh, I miss him." Fred Jr. sighed. "My favorite dog..."

"Oh honey!" Frances smiled at her son. "I think we have some photographs of you and Skippy in our old photo album. "Let me check." Frances went into her sitting room and looked in her sitting room and found the old black photo album and came back with it. She flipped through the pages of photos and found the one with Freddie and Skippy.

"Look at you two...you were so cute." Frances smiled.

"Hey look! I'm wearing my favorite cap!" Fred Jr. chuckled.

"I know! You wore it everywhere!" Helen smirked. "Wanted to look like a newsboy in a big city." She chuckled.

"Doggie..." Little Marlene was sitting on her father's lap, and the little girl, nearly two years old, pointed to the dog Skippy in the picture.

"Yep..doggie!" Fred Jr. smiled. "That was Skippy...Daddy's favorite doggie...And look there! Who's that, Marlene?"

"Boy..." She said quietly.

"Yeah., a boy...That boy is Daddy!"

"No!" The cute little wavy blonde haired toddler giggled. "You, Daddy!" Marlene said, and her little chubby fingers touched his face.

"That was Daddy!" Fred Jr. laughed, and touched the picture.

"Not Daddy!..." Marlene giggled and shook her head.

Frances was flipping through the photo album and came across a picture of her two when they were younger...arm around each other, standing side by side in front of a large brick building. "Look at you two!" She grinned. "Oh, I loved this photo."

"Didn't you look sassy?!" Eddie grinned and nudged his girlfriend, about the little look on her face in the photo.

"What do you mean 'look'?" Helen laughed. "I still am..." She winked at him, and he grinned at her.

"Honey, you were adorable!" Irene exclaimed to Fred Jr..."The little scrunch between your eyebrows!"

"Oh, I've always done that...you know I don't really like pictures taken of me!"

After supper, Fred. Jr. and his little family went home, Helen and Frances were cleaning up the kitchen, and Fred was talking with Eddie out in the front room.

"If it's alright, I'd like to take Helen up to Eagle Point...we can walk the whole thing."

"Walk off some supper." Fred chuckled.

"Yeah." Eddie laughed. "I was thinking of showing her some stuff I've done too."

"Nice.." Fred said and took a swig of whiskey. "I have a question..."

"Shoot."

"Things are getting pretty...close...between you two?"

"Well...yeah...Helen's one great girl." Eddie grinned.

"Damn right she is...she's mine!" Fred laughed. "...I trust that you treat her right."

"I do..." Eddie shifted in his chair. Unsure why he was so...nervous... all of a sudden. He was always so buddy-buddy with Fred!

"I'm sure you'll make a great son-in-law." Fred said, taking another swig of his whiskey.

"Son-in-law!" Eddie coughed a little and covered his mouth..."I've been wanting to talk to you about that...actually."

"You do want to marry my daughter..." Fred look at him. "Don't you?"

"Well...yeah!...Just not so soon...I need a house for us and such...I'm thinking I finish my work with the C.C.C...serve in the army...buy the things we need with the money I get..and maybe in a few years, get married."

"Good plan, son." Fred nodded, drinking his whiskey. "I like a good man who thinks toward the future and sets a few goals. It's a good character trait."

"Well...thank you." Eddie said. "I...think I'll go get Helen and we'll head out." He said, getting up and walking into the other room to the kitchen.

"Have a good time." Fred grinned and when they were gone, sat there smirking. "Kid's got the jitters...can't blame him with me creeping such a question on him like that!" He laughed to himself.

(

"What beautiful stonework you guys have done!" Helen exclaimed. They walked the whole park and were now at the end of Eagle Point Park.

"Thanks...Wanna go visit the fish pond?"

"There's a fish pond?!"

"Yeah..." Eddie said, taking her hand and they walked down the stone steps, part of the stone cliffs that went around both ponds...one a small rectangular one...and a larger oval-ish shaped one with a cute little waterfall. They stood by the little waterfall and looked out on the water, at the little lily pads floating. They walked to the edge and watched the little fish swim though the water. It was a cute sight to see...you just want to reach your hand in and catch some. Or jump in yourself and go swimming!

"How do you feel about me leaving and going off to the C.C.C?" Eddie asked quietly...his eyebrows scrunched. "Really...how do you feel?"

"You know I'd rather not have you leave!" She said. "I just...don't like it."

"Even if I went in the army?"

"And you'll get killed!" Helen spat, looking up at him. "I don't want you getting wounded or killed."

"I want to save up some money for us..." He said quickly.

"But Eddie!..." She went on..but stopped. "Wait a minute...us?"

"Yeah..us!" He smiled softly...slipping his hands around her waist. "We can get married...you would marry me, right?"

"Yes I would!" Helen exclaimed..."But...Eddie...a wedding...we need to live somewhere...think of all the money we need!...They say there's a Depression going on...some have lost jobs already here in Dubuque."

"Yeah...that's what I was saying about saving up money!" Eddie grinned. "I'm already saving up some from my C.C.C. money. I'm thinking once I'm done with that...I'd join the army and save up even more of what we need...then in a few years..."

"You've asked my father?"

"Actually he brought it on...but I was going to." Eddie smiled. "I'll get you a ring, too...it may take awhile but I'll get you one."

Helen smiled and her brown eyes gazed up at him. She kissed him and held onto him for quite awhile. "I guess you leaving won't be so bad..." She whispered. "You'll HAVE to come back!" Helen chuckled.

"Well...I haven't left yet..." Eddie smiled. "How about we head to my place? Huh?" He smiled and whispered in her ear. His lips brushed against her ear and it gave her shivers. The good kind!

"And you'll bring me home?" She smiled up at him.

"Maybe...I might just keep you and take you along to Minnesota and Arkansas with me!" He laughed and so did she. Then he gave her a kiss on the cheek. They walked to the house where he, his parents and his younger brother and sister lived...It started raining as they were out on the sidewalk leading up to the little white house. The cold rain picked up and they soon went inside.

Eddie kissed her and put his arms around her shivering body. "My gosh, you're all wet!"

"I'm okay." Helen laughed.

"I'm sure my sister's got something you can change into...Hey Rosey!" He called.

"Yeah?" She came into the next room.

"See if you got something she can change into."

"I think I've got something upstairs...Bert gave me a skirt that's too long on me. I'm sure it'll fit her!"

"Thanks Rosey, but I'm okay. I'll just sit by the fire...I'm not soaked!" She went into the kitchen where everyone was, sitting around the table, and was greeted by Mrs. Walbrun.

"Hallo!" She smiled. "Good to see you, Helen!..It rainingk, I hear?" Rose Walbrun said, in her broken English.

"Yes, I'm a little wet." Helen laughed.

"Take off your coat! You sit by fire." She smiled. "I make you some hot tea."

"Oh no! I'm alright!" Helen smiled.

"Oh yes, I make tea! _Ist gute_ on rainy night." Mrs. Walbrun was already getting the tea ready, and so Eddie and Helen sat down at the kitchen table and they all talked.

"I went and showed her what the guys and I've been doing up at the park, Mother."

"Very nice! My Josef i_st_ good vurker, yes?"

"Yes he is." Helen smiled at him and he wrapped an arm around her.

"Ve proud of _ihm_. As you are, I'm sure." She said, setting down cups of the tea when it was finally ready.

"I am." Helen smiled, looking at him, making him smile.

"You ask her for marriage yet, Josef?" Rose asked, smiling at the two of them.

"I did, Mother." He smiled.

"Set date yet?" She asked, smiling.

"Not yet." Helen answered, sipping her tea and let the warmth from it seep into her.

"We know for sure that we'll get married in a couple of years...I just know I need to save some money first.. Got some in the bank...but not enough for a fancy wedding." He said.

"It doesn't need to be fancy." Helen said, holding his hand.

"You just be thinking of what you want." Eddie smiled.

Helen finished her tea and yawned a little.

"You tired, babe? You can sneak up to my room and lay down." He said, rubbing her back.

"I'm not so tired..."

"I'll sneak up with you..." Eddie smiled, whispering in her ear.

"Well,...okay..." Helen felt his hands on her waist. She smiled and they both seemed to jump up and nearly race each other up the stairs to his room. Her heart was pounding from nervousness and adrenaline as they went into his room and she took a seat on his bed.

"You know I'm not going to be good the first time..." Helen whispered.

"I can teach you things!" He grinned, and gave her a sexy look. "I'm willing to teach you."

"I guess I'm willing to learn then." She breathed out a breath and smiled just a little. The bedroom door was locked and they sat on his bed, making out as usual...but it was sort of different. A little frightening, yet exciting...kind of like the storm. The rain poured on the roof, and thunder boomed and lightening flashed during the rainstorm.

Helen felt his hands around her waist and the palms of his hands and his fingers slinking up her back, and back down to her waist again, and she grabbed the back of his neck and was kissing him and he slipped his face down and started kissing her neck...She was so nervous, she was shaking without realizing it. Helen felt he must have noticed since he was holding her closer.

"I'm so nervous..." Helen whispered with a breath as Eddie began unbuttoning the back of her dress.

"You're alright." Eddie whispered and smiled at her. "No need to be nervous..." He sat there gazing into her deep brown eyes. Helen gave him a tender peck on the lips, and then taking a deep breath, she slid the dress sleeves off of her shoulders. She blushed and turned her face away while he sat there staring at her in her 1930's tan brasiere. The dress now bunching at the top of her waist.

"Hey!" Eddie grinned, taking his hand and gently bringing her face around to meet his. "What's eating you?!"

"I don't know..." She chuckled a little. "I'm a little self-contious...I guess." Helen mumbled..

"Don't hide those pretty peepers from me!" He smiled and looked into her eyes again. "You're a pip!"

"You really think so?" Helen smiled.

"I know so!" He grinned and kissed her. "You sure are a looker!" Eddie whispered and kissed her again..."Now let's get to...makin' whoopee...besides, you'd look plain dingy with your dress like that." He laughed.

"Making whoopee?!" She laughed, slipping out of the dress.

"That's what they're calling it now."

"Now THAT's...dingy!" Helen laughed, getting up, on her knees on the bed, and arms wrapped over his shoulders. "Why not just say making love?" She whispered and those thin little lips of hers grinned. With the rain still pouring outside...they continued. They began kissing again and Helen felt him undo her brasiere.

"This is...really happening." Helen breathed, with a little laugh to try and calm her nervousness.

"We'll go slow...trust me." Eddie smiled.

In a whirl, it seemed like to her,...he tugged off her underwear, letting his fingers touch her legs as he slid them down...and she mustered up the courage to help him undress. She helped him with the buttons on his shirt. And slid the white fabric off of his body. Her hands automatically went to his chest, feeling the short, course, dark hair...and then her hands went around to feel his strong, muscled back. All the while he was unbuttoning his pants and taking off his underwear.

"Let the learning begin, huh?" Helen chuckled. This was getting a bit easier now...but she was still a little nervous. She laid back on his bed with him on top of her. Laying there quietly, with Eddie hovering over her, she felt him slowly lay a hand on her maidenhood. In a few seconds, they made contact at last. Helen nearly shrieked and curled up in pain.

"Feels like you just shoved a stick up me!" She whispered quickly...and then they both burst out laughing at how funny that sounded.

"I'm sorry that hurt you...It gets a bit easier as you go." Eddie whispered, smiling at her. He kissed her and they tried once more...and Helen finally experienced it with him. Sex...the new, strange sounds of flesh smacking against flesh, and the feeling of it. Just feeling...him...where she hadn't before. The new and different, tingly feeling this gave her. The feeling of him touching her closer than he usually had done. This all happening with the rain drumming on the roof...Helen's nervous feeling had left and now it was peaceful and good. They lay there together when they were done, just listening to the rain pouring.

"Nothing like I had imagined..." Helen whispered, her head resting on his chest.

"Hmm?" He mumbled, glancing down at her.

"Well...you know...well, you might not, if you really think about it...women think romance, more-so than men maybe...I know I dreamed this would be so romantic and sexy...but it wasn't...really." She laughed a little and he just looked at her. "Oh, don't get me wrong!...It was good. Being with you feels nifty...It's just I just had it in my mind...romance, sexyiness...passion..."

"It will be..." He whispered. "I'll be back next month, November... We can have all the time in the world for this again...Ya follow?"

"Yes...And well..." She whispered. "You haven't left yet...we have this time now. Now...is now. Not tomorrow...not yesterday...but now." Helen smiled, closed her eyes and kissed him.

**A/N: All the new, just mentioned characters in this chapter were real people, and so is what was said about them. Well, except for the young man named Ben in the beginning of the chapter...I just made him up and picked out a random name.**

**Even the thing with Klopper Kate and old Mr. Hedrick was true...especially what she said! Actually she swore a little more, but I didn't want to put so much in my story as I don't care for swearing.**

**People talked weird in the 1930's...seems funny at least to me. Some of them I have used without even knowing it...but I guess I'm old-fashioned. Lol. :) Anyway, here are the definitions for the words I used in this chapter. I kinda had fun putting them in the chapter. Peepers=eyes, pip= an attractive person, looker= pretty woman, making whoopee= making love. (this one I thought was VERY interesting...and silly. The other phrase used for it was pitching woo...again, weird/silly. Lol.) dingy= silly. What's eating you?= What's wrong? Ya follow?= do you understand? Nifty=great, excellent.**

**Hope you enjoyed it! Please review! :)**


	79. Chapter 79

Frances sat in her rocking chair in her sitting room, looking at all the birds that were in the large pine tree outside, next to the house. She liked just looking at them as they hopped along the branches, and turned their heads every which way, then fly off and come back to the tree once again. Suddenly a little furry thing climbed up into her lap!

"Why, hello there, Thomas." She chuckled. Frances sat there and petted him and he let out a soft meow.

Frances glanced out the window and saw the postal service man on his 1930's motorcycle drive by and place some mail in their mailbox. "How about we go get the mail now." She said, and the tom cat got right off her lap and ran for her bedroom. "Fine, then, I'll go get the mail by myself." Frances laughed, shaking her head. She walked out the back door and down the porch steps, down the little sidewalk to the little mailbox. She saw just one letter in it. Frances smiled and shook her head when she saw who sent it and who it was addressed to. She walked back inside the house and went to her daughter's room.

"Hey Mama!" Helen smiled as she saw her out of the corner of her eye. She was in the middle of reading a new book.

"Another letter for you...I'm sure you can guess who it's from."

"Eddie?!" Her eyes lit up.

"That's right, my dear." Frances smiled and handed her the letter. Helen read it and looked at the pictures he had sent her. One of him and his C.C.C. football team. He had marked where he was in the photo since it was hard to see...There was another photo of him and two of his friends on a loading dock. Helen smiled. "I wonder what he's doing right now."

"Hopefully missing you." Frances smiled. Helen couldn't help but smile at the thought. _"I miss him too...I really miss him!"_ She thought.

The large brown covered book suddenly caught Frances' attention. "What's this, sweetheart?"

"Oh, one of the books I bought from the book store...It's a children's book. But you know how I love reading...And it's a good book...I'm thinking of saving it for my children someday."

"Little House in the Big Woods..." Frances read the title.

"Yeah...she's a new author...Laura Ingalls...something or other...Wilde? Something like that."

"Wilder..."

"Yeah, that's it!" Helen exclaimed. "I got her second book called "Farmer Boy." as well. And I hear that next year, she'll be publishing another."

"Laura Ingalls Wilder..." Frances said the name to herself. "We better show your father these..."

"Mama, it's a children's book!" Helen laughed a little.

"I know!...But he knows the author!"

"No way! He does not!" Helen laughed.

"She's an old friend...haven't kept in touch in years!"

"Well, you don't say..." Helen smiled.

"We can show him when he gets home from work...Anyway, I'll leave you be...I've got some work to do."

"Anything I can help with, Mama?"

"No, not this time...You just read your letter...I know you will." Frances giggled.

"Mama..." She smiled, but her eyes gave her a look.

"Just think...he'll be home soon!"

With that thought in her mind, Helen couldn't help but smile. She got to thinking about him again...

(

Eddie was sitting in sort of a mess tent-like building, eating with his buddies in the C.C.C. They had been stationed in Red Wing, Minnesota and were now in Fordyce, Arkansas. The work was good,...but the food...wasn't exactly...appetizing...

"What is this...crap?!" A man blurted to the rest of the guys. He was named Jack, and he was one of Eddie friends in the C.C.C.

"Still haven't figured it out, Jack?" The man next to him muttered. "Cook's been feeding us horse meat and beans!"

"No!"

"Damn skippy!" Eddie said. "Been going on for three weeks,...and that's not the only thing! The damn crook pockets some of the money we earn..."

"What a twit."

"Been going on long enough." Eddie said. "I'm sick of it, and I say we DO something about it!"

"What do you suggest?...Beat the hell out of him?!" Another guy asked, laughing. He was middle-aged. His name was Henry. Henry, Jack and Eddie were like the three musketeers. Always together. The men devised a plan to go into a rebellion. They got enough men together and they cornered the cook one day and got him to admit his wrongdoing...it all got a little out of hand and the men started beating on the cook...The officers of the C.C.C. found out about what the cook had been doing.

"I'll have enough of this!" The head officer shouted, and every man in the room stopped in their tracks, stopped swinging their punches and stepped away from the cook. He was bleeding and bruised.

"You!...We're trying to train these men for war! What the Hell do you think you're doing, man?! Feeding them horse meat of all things. Unfit for human consumption..." The head officer for the Civilian Cconservation Corps bellowed.

"I...I.." The cook stuttered.

"Look me in the eyes when you talk to me!"

"I...I've got a crowd to feed! Time's are rough!...Things are hard!" The cook began. "I didn't think..."

"Didn't think they'd notice?!" The officer finished for him. "Didn't think you could pull one over on them..didn't think it would matter? Not so...not so, they're smart men...AND another thing! You've been pocketing the money these good workers have been earning! Stealing! I can't trust a...a theif..." The man scowled. "You're being released, sir..." The head officer looked to the men who saluted him, and he saluted them back. Then he walked out of the room.

"Better find a new job,...cook..." Eddie chuckled. His buddies slapped him on the back. The cook glared back at them all, but walked out of the building and left the camp. Things got better soon after that.

"I'm surprised he didn't pound you, Walbrun!"

"Oh...I woulda fought him again if I had to." He laughed a little.

"Boy, that was some good swingin' at him, Eddie." Henry slapped him on the back.

"Well, I'm a pretty good boxer if I do say so myself..." Eddie bragged.

"I say we have a boxing match!" Jack insisted.

"Might take you up on the offer."

"How 'bout right now?"

"Nah, I've got something to do right now."

"Writing your woman again?"

"Hell, man! You're going to see her in a few weeks!" Henry laughed.

"She'll have my hide if I don't!" Eddie joked.

(

"I just can't wait to see him!" Helen grinned, jumping up and down with a little clap of her hands, she was just so excited! "Mrs. Walbrun just telephoned and wants me to come over to surprise him...Mr. Walbrun is working right now, I think, can you drive me over there, Papa?"

"Sure..." Fred smiled at his daughter as she was just beaming. "You know where it is?"

"Yes.." Helen said as she got into her father's Model T Ford and they drove off. "It's off of Walnut and Jefferson Street...it's a white house with a little white fence around it. Can't miss it."

Fred drove down different streets and pulled over suddenly.

"I...think we're lost...I don't know this part of town, never been out here."

"Papa...you took the wrong street back there!" Helen guided him to the street they were supposed to go down in the first place...

"Papa!...It's THAT house! Back up! You just passed it!"

"Okay! Okay!...I'm backing up!...Calm the heck down." Fred muttered.

"Thanks a bunch!" Helen leaned over and gave her father a quick peck on the cheek.

"Want me to wait here for you?"

"You don't need to.." She smiled. "I'm not a little girl anymore, Papa..."

Fred watched her sprint up the little sidewalk, and sighed as she disappeared inside the house. "No you're not..." He drove for home then, just thinking.

(

Mrs. Walbrun welcomed her in right away. "Zo glad you're here!" She smiled and hugged Helen, explaining that they'll be having a nice little lunch, with her there, as a suprise for Eddie.

"I'm so excited!...he has no idea of this, right?!"

"No idea...just hope he doz not stop at your place virst..." Rose Walbrun chuckled.

"Mother, I think he's here...and Father is to!" Rosey exclaimed looking out the window.

Mrs. Walbrun went by the stairs to call her youngest, John, from his bedroom."John!"

"Yes Mother?!"

"Brother und Father are here!"

"Eddie's here?!" The young teenager shouted and zipped down the stairs as fast as ever.

"Quick! You, hide in the pantry, Helen!" Rosey giggled, ushering her inside and closing the little pantry door after her. "This is going to be so nifty." She whispered to her.

"I know...I wonder what he'll do?" Helen whispered.

"I don't know!" Rosey laughed, whispereing to Helen through the crack in the door.

"What are you giggling at?" Eddie smiled as he came through the front door and into the kitchen.

"Nothing!" Rosey laughed.

"I think my little sister's up to something!" He laughed as he hugged her.

"Yeah, they got a surprise for ya..." John blurted out.

"John!" Rosey exclaimed.

"Well, he said something!" John went and hugged his older brother.

"Hey, kiddo." Eddie grinned and ruffled his 13 year old brother's dark hair. "What's this about a surprise?"

"They told me not to say...So I ain't saying anything more!" John blurted. "Hey, can we go hunting sometime, Eddie?"

"Maybe!" Eddie smiled and let out a chuckle. He patted his little brother on the shoulder and then spoke up. "Okay, what's my surprise? You know I'm like a little kid at Christmastime when it comes to surprises." He chuckled.

"Okay...there's something in the pantry for you..." Rosey giggled.

"In the pantry?..What?...Something to eat?" He said as he opened the pantry door.

"Why hello there..." Helen walked out of the little pantry, smiling at him.

"Why, this is a surprise!" Eddie laughed and hugged her and couldn't help but kiss and hold her. He'd missed that since he had been gone.

"You know...it's sweet...but...a little annoying at the same time..." John said. He and his older sister Rosey were sitting on the little couch in the front room.

"What is?" Rosey asked.

"...Them..." John replied, a little grossed out and he saw them kissing...again.

"Oh, you shut it!" Rosey said, playfully slapping her brother.

"I bet you'll be like that when you get a girlfriend someday."

"Me?...no way!" John spat back. "More like you! If you HAD a boyfriend that is!"

"Shut up, I will someday!"

"Yeah right, like any guy would pay attention to you!"

"Somebody would...":

"Yeah...like who?" John asked.

"Adrial Randall..." Rosey said dreamily.

"He don't even know you're alive!"

"...He will." Rosey smiled.

"Yeah right!" John said, walking up the stairs to his bedroom. "He spends too much time on his hair!" He said at last, before he went up.

Rosey giggled and thought of Adrial. "I love his hair...All swept over to the side, and parted on the left.. Wonder how he makes it stay like that. Hair oil maybe?"

"What's that, sis?" Eddie chuckled.

"Oh nothing Eddie...Tell us about your adventures!" Rosey smiled at her older brother.

"Adventures?" He laughed..."I don't know what to talk about exactly. Things were run like the military. To a T, mind you...We did beat up the cook. That's about as exciting as it gets!" Eddie laughed some more thinking about it again.

"You what?!" Rosey exclaimed. "Why would you do such a thing?!"

"We had a good reason to, trust me..." Eddie smiled. And he told them all about it when they sat down together for lunch.

(

"I've missed you..." Helen said with a sweet whisper. Laying with him in his bed. She smiled and ran her fingers through his black hair. "I love you."

He kissed her so long it made her gasp a little when he stopped. "Bunnie..."

"I've missed you too...and this." He grinned a little mischeviously.

"Me too..." Half whispereing...half sighing. She loved the way they held each other, carressed each other, she adored every kiss and touch. And not just the touch, but the feelings they gave each other. Right then, it was like, they were together again...and that was all that mattered. "Think it'll be like this when were...married?" Helen smiled.

"Hope so..." Eddie smiled back. "There'll be no limits..."

"Seems like there isn't now...according to your parents.."

"And yours?" Eddie softly ran a hand down the length of her body.

"They...don't exactly know, I guess." She said quietly.

"Why you little sneak..." Eddie grinned at her and kissed her on the cheek. "I guess you can break it to them when you want to..."

"I guess so...but...it is our own business, Eddie..." She smiled at him and breathed deeply. "Gosh, you smell good...I think I've forgotten how good you smell...What is that?...It smells...sweet...but smokey."

Eddie chuckled a little. "That's my pipe tobacco...Sir Walter Raliegh."

"I like it..." Helen smiled, snuggling up to him. "Has a homelike aroma to it..."

"I agree." Eddie whispered, kissed her and sat up. "Now...if you don't mind...I think I'll put on some clothes and have a good smoke."

"Go right ahead..." Helen smiled and lay there, tangled in the sheets and watched him dress and then load his pipe with the sweet-smelling tobacco.

**A/N: In real life, none of my ancestors knew Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family (though to me, that would have been pretty awesome! I would have love to have met her. I read her books and I can identify with her, like our personalities are the same. Lol.)...but I bet you, my great grandmother read the Little House books just as in this chapter...I of course, fell in love with the books and the tv show. I have both sets now...Years ago, my grandfather, Helen and Eddie's son asked me if he could borrow the books and read them again, as he had read them as a little boy...but at the time, I didn't have the whole set, which he understood that. We lost him to cancer January 17th 2012...and I got the full set of the books just recently, so he never got to read the Little House books again. I am saddened by this and feel that maybe I should have let him borrow the ones I had at the time, given that opportunity. Well, what I've learned in life is mistakes are made, and you just have to learn from them...and do the best you can. This and such other things I've learned from my grandfather. I miss him dearly...I'm glad for the things he wrote down about our ancestry and for the stories he's told of his mother, and grandmother Frances and of himself. I wouldn't be able to write this story without them...and glad that I get my love of writing and story telling from him.**

**Adrial Randall, the young man Rosey Walbrun mentioned to her younger brother John, later became her husband. It thought it was cute to put that in. :)**

**If I haven't said this before, which I think I may have, Helen's nickname for Eddie was "Bunnie." It thought it was so sweet, because he signed everything to her (cards, letters, etc.), as "Bunnie."**

**The story in this chapter of Eddie in the C.C.C was true! Can't believe they beat up the cook like that...Eddie liked sports and did indeed play on a football team in the C.C.C...He did have a friend named Jack and another friend but I couldn't recall his name (I know these things because of pictures I've found, by the way) but I believe it was Henry.**


	80. Chapter 80

"Thank you for coming out here, Dr. Clark." Frances called out. She shut the front door and touched the white lacy curtains. It was quiet in the house for a moment...until she sighed and spoke up. "Seems like my thinking was correct, huh?" She turned and looked at her daughter, sitting on the little pink sofa with the white lace doily covering it.

"Yes..." Helen said quietly. "I can't believe I thought I was just sick with the flu or something...How stupid..."

"You're not stupid...don't say that..."

"Mama..."

"You're not stupid, Helen...It's just your first pregnancy. Of course you won't know for sure the first time around."

"I still can't believe it...a baby?"

"I know. Quite a shock isn't it?" Frances smiled a little.

"I don't know what I'm going to do...I don't know if I'm ready...Oh, I just don't know WHAT to think right now!" Helen said and buried her face in both of her hands. "I suppose you're mad at me now." She said softly.

Frances came and sat down by her daughter and hugged her. "No...not angry...just...well, maybe a little upset. It's not how I envisioned things would be, but...life doesn't always turn out like you want it."

"Papa?" Helen looked up at her father sitting in his favorite armchair.

"Come here..." He said.

"What?"

"Come here! Sit with me...like you used to when you were a little girl."

"Papa!" Helen laughed a little. It even brightend her mood some.

"Come on!" Fred smiled motioning over to him. Helen came over and sat down on one of the armrests. Fred put his arm around his daughter's waist and hugged her.

"Are you upset with me?"

"No...you know how I am. I don't get worked up about things too much." Fred kissed his daughter's cheek. "You're fine...everythings going to work out alright."

"But..but how do you know for sure...And, what about Eddie?! I haven't even thought about him...how he's going to take this...and how am I going to tell him?"

"You'll be able to tell him." Fred said.

"Will he even want to marry me now?" Helen thought out loud.

"Helen, he wanted to marry you before...nothing will change that." Frances said.

"He's a good, kid." Fred added.

"I'm just scared..." Helen sighed again.

"We know, honey..." Frances said..."It's a brand new step in life..."

"Things will work out, Helen." Fred hugged his daughter again.

"Just wait till you're ready to tell him..."

"I'll tell him in the next few days...I'm just not ready right now." She said and sat back down on the sofa.

"That's fine, honey." Her mother told her, patting her knee.

"I'm scared." She said again.

"We know...It'll be alright..."

"I can't help it I'm scared...I'm just afraid...he...he won't love me. Won't want me anymore...that he won't want the baby..."

"You're worrying about it too much, honey...Don't stress over it right now."

"I have just...too much on my mind right now. I think I'd like to be alone in my room for awhile." Helen got up and went to her room, closing the door. She needed some time alone to think. Her mother came in later and sat with her on the bed.

"We know you're scared.. But it'll be okay...you have us." Frances said quietly. Helen laid her head on her mother's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her.

"I can't help it...There's so much to think about." Helen said. Tears welling up in her eyes. "It's scary...I'm afraid...I just can't help it."

"Do you want this baby?" Frances whispered.

"Yes...Of course I do...it's my baby..." Helen said. "I'm just scared. I told you I don't know if I'm ready..."

"You'll learn...I did." Frances smiled and ran a hand over her daughter's hair.

"I'll be 21 when I have this baby...It's unreal. I'm still a little shocked."

"I know...I was too, a little." Frances said. "But then I realized, you're both adults. It's natural. These things happen."

"I don't what I'm more scared about...becoming a mother...or Eddie."

"Honey, don't worry about Eddie. He's a good man, he'll do the right thing."

"I know...but you don't know him like I do, Mama..." Helen said.

"What are you getting at?" Frances questioned.

"It's just...I don't know why, but...it seems like he doesn't like children very much...or something. I figured that after Eddie and I were married, we'd talk about children... Mama, I'm afraid...he won't want the baby and he'll leave me...I can't help but worry about it." Helen said, brushing a tear off of her cheek.

"I don't think he'd do that..." Frances said. "And you won't know until you tell him...Stop worrying about it right now."

(

A few days went by and one afternoon Helen was getting ready to go over to see Eddie. "I have to tell him today...it's going to drive me crazy otherwise..." She said putting her coat on and started to go out the front door.

"Wait a minute...I'll drive you over." Fred said, and grabbed his coat.

"Are you sure, Papa?"

"Yes...It's getting colder out..."

"It's only late November. There's no snow on the ground yet. I'll be fine."

"Come on." Fred said, and so they got in his Model T Ford and drove the way to the Walbrun's house. On the way there, they saw a young man walking on the side of the road.

"Papa, that's Eddie...stop the car..."

Helen got out of the car, shut the car's door and started walking over to him, her heels softly clicking away on the road.

"Helen, baby!" He smiled and hugged her. "I was just going over to your place." He smiled, placing his hands on her arms softly and they drifted to her hands.

"I need to talk to you, Eddie..."

Eddie stared at her smileless face and those worried brown eyes. "What's wrong?...You don't seem like yourself right now."

"We just need to talk...I need to tell you something..."

"What?"

"I'm scared..."

"What?!..Why?" Eddie asked. "What's going on?"

"I'm scared...I just don't know how to put this..."

"You damn well better not be breaking up with me."

"Eddie, I'm not!" Helen said, tears streaking her face.

"That's what this sounds like!...Well, what is it?...Don't-Don't cry!" He told her, brushing off a tear with his thumb.

"A few days ago...I found out that I...We're..." Helen stumbled over her words. Unsure how to word it.

"We're what?" Eddie asked, looking at her puzzled.

"... going to have a...a baby." She said quietly, just looking up into his face. Eddie stood there with a furrowed brow. Helen was silent, waiting for him to say something, tears on her cheeks again.

"How could this happen..."

"What do you mean how?!" Helen exclaimed. "Don't blame this on me! You know very well how this happened..." She said, tears falling..."Yes, we were pretty careful...but it happened...Well, aren't you going to say anything?!" Her voice choked.

"I don't know what to say, baby..." He blinked, and stood there just looking at her. The lines still etched in his forehead.

"Eddie, I love you...I'm scared that you'll leave me, and if you do,...I understand...But if there's still a chance that you still want to marry me...we'd better make plans...and do it as soon as we can..."

"I...I need time to think..." Eddie said quickly and let go of her hand and turned around and started walking the way he came. Helen did nothing but stand there, watching him leave. Watching till he was gone, and out of her sight, she slowly walked back to her father's car and got in the front seat, sitting there, her arms around her middle. She remained slient and put her head down during the drive back home.

"So, you told him?" Fred asked quietly.

"Yes..."

"What did he say?..."

"He...said he needed time to think..." Helen sighed. She bit her lower lip and looked out the car window. Watching the houses and the trees and the people go by. "I'm still scared..."

"It'll turn out alright, Helen."

"Now I'm not so sure, Papa...He was shocked...He wasn't happy. He barely said anything...He just walked away and I let him! I mean, what could I have done?!...He's going to leave me..." Helen stressed. Tears started to fall. Fred went and pulled over on the side of the road and sat there and looked at his daughter.

"Helen Frances Lay...you need to snap out of this!" He said. Fred wasn't angry, but in his voice was total seriousness. "You don't know if Edde's going to leave you because of this...so stop saying he will."

"But he said..." Helen started to say, wiping away tears that were on her cheeks.

"All he said was he needed time...to think...Just give him that time alone to think about it...He's a good man, and I'm sure he'll figure things out and do the right thing...just leave him alone for awhile. We can't have you being so upset and worried all the time anway..._"She's starting to drive us crazy with this!" _He thought. "Things will turn out fine either way...Just trust us..." Fred said. They went home and Helen went straight to her room.

"Well, what did Eddie say?" Frances asked.

Helen was sitting on her bed, almost ready to cry again. "He said he needed time to think."

"Well..." Frances sighed. "Maybe that's for the best."

"I don't know, Mama...I really don't."

(

_Helen and Eddie met on a bench in the park and were talking. He grabbed her hand and was silent. She looked into his eyes and heard him say something._

"_I can't do this...I'm sorry."_

"_Eddie..." Tears filled her eyes and dropped on her cheeks and she wiped them away, but they kept falling._

"_I'm sorry..."_

"_Eddie...please...please don't!" She stammered as she watched him walk away from her._

"_Don't leave me...please!" She cried as she saw him running now. She wanted to run after him but her legs wouldn't move...Eddie ran fast...and then faster. Till he was gone._

"Don't leave, Eddie." Helen whispered. Tears fell on her pillow. She opened her eyes and sat up in bed. It was just a dream. A dream she'd been having for awhile now. She still couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to leave her.

"Are you alright?" Frances stood at her bedroom door.

"Yeah, Mama...I'll be okay."

"Alright...well...I made some breakfast. Are you hungry?"

"Yes." She said, getting out of bed, got dressed and went into the kitchen to eat with her parents. There was bacon frying in a cast iron skillet and scrambled eggs. Frances got her a plate and set it down on the table in front of her.

Helen tried to eat a little, but stopped and pushed the plate away. "It doesn't smell or taste very good...I'm sorry..." She said, and got up suddenly and ran out the back door to the outhouse. She came back and rinsed her mouth out and splashed a little water on her face.

"Here's some dry toast...it might help." Frances said and also set down a glass of water.

"Thanks Mama...I just hate feeling sick like this...all the time!"

"Well..." Frances sighed. "that's morning sickness for you...every pregnant woman gets it." She said, chuckling a little.

"Was yours as bad when you were pregnant with me?"

"Oh, I don't know...it was bad..."

"I'm sorry..." Helen said.

Frances laughed a little. "No need to be sorry!...Besides, that was 20 years ago, Helen...Doesn't seem like yours is too bad yet...and it's all in the line of finding things that help...we'll see if you can stomach something for lunch later."

"Alright." She said and took a bite of her toast and drank some of the water.

"Have you heard anything from Eddie lately?" Fred asked, taking a bite of his German breakfast cake he was having with his coffee.

"No Papa...I haven't seen or heard from him in almost a week...might as well face it..."

Fred's gray eyes looked at her sternly and seriously. "I don't want to hear it...No matter what, you still have us. We'll help you out...I think you should call him up today." He said, taking another bite of his breakfast cake and glanced at her.

"Why?!...We haven't seen each other...or talked since...he obviously doesn't want me or the baby and that's that..."

"Go call him, Helen..." Fred said, and a little smile appeared on his face. He glanced at Frances who smiled.

"What's going on?" Helen asked them.

"Just go call him, honey." Frances said and patted her shoulders. So Helen went to the next room and to the little shelf that held the old telephone, dialed the number, and waited.

"Hello?" She heard his voice on the other end.

"Eddie...hi..." She said quietly. She wasn't sure of what to say to him.

"Helen...baby...I'm sorry about last week."

"You...haven't seen or spoken to me since that day...Doesn't seem like two people who are engaged, does it?" Helen began.

"I know...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off like that...I was...well, kind of shocked. Didn't know what to say...or think...and I'm sorry I haven't had anything to do with you since then...I've been busy."

"With what?" She asked quietly.

"I've gotten a job...At the White House Biscuit Company...It pays $8.00 a week..."

"That's good."

"I've been saving up money for the wedding...and a place for us to live...I'll be taking out some good money pretty soon for it. I've got my eye on a place but I won't say where in case it doesn't turn out how I want it."

"You still want to marry me..." She stammered, tears welling up in her eyes

"Yeah...Of course. Looks like it'll be...a little sooner than planned...but..." He stopped and smiled.

"Oh Eddie!..." Helen cried. And Eddie noticed what sounded like crying on the other end of the telephone.

"What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing!...Nothing." Helen laughed and brushed away tears. "I'm okay..."

"I'd say we'd better nail down a date, don't you? How 'bout I come over there after work and we can start making plans."

"That sounds great, Eddie." She smiled.

(

"So what do you think about January? New year. What better time to start a marriage?" Eddie said, sitting in the front room with Helen on the little pink sofa.

"January...Not in the beginning of the month! That's too soon..."

"I've got the money, babe. Plan on taking it out of my bank account soon." Eddie smiled, stretching and put his arm around her. "You don't need to worry."

"What about the next month? Oh, wouldn't it be nice to get married on Valentine's Day?" She smiled at him.

"Is that what you want?"

"Well, I don't know...it's a nice thought." Helen said. "Do you? I want it to be what you want to...It's not just my day, you know...How about towards the end of January then?"

"Helen, baby...do you want to get married on Valentine's Day?"

"No, no, no...just forget it!...The end of January sounds fine."

"How about January 30th?...Sounds easy to remember." Eddie chuckled.

"January 30th." Helen smiled at him.

**A/N: J. Edward "Eddie" Walbrun and Helen Lay, my great grandparents got married January 30th, 1935. Around that time, Eddie was working at the White House Biscuit Company, getting paid at $8.00 a week...According to my grandpa's book he wrote us, this was told to him by some old timer. :) Most people made about $8.00 a week back in those days.**

**Frances indeed had a pink sofa with a white lace doily...and white lace curtains on the windows in her front room. Actually sounds pretty, and I don't normally care for the color pink...We owned the pink sofa when I was little, according to my mother...but of course, I was little and don't quite remember it. **

**Hope you liked this chapter! Tell me what you think! :)**


	81. Chapter 81

"I can't believe you walked all the way here...in this weather!" Helen exclaimed. It was snowing outside on a day in early January. She and Eddie were sitting together in the front room, on the little pink couch with the little lace doily on it.

"Well..." Eddie said, wrapping his arm around her. "No harm, no foul." He chuckled. Helen layed her head on his chest. "My goodness, you're like ice!" Eddie's face and hands were rosy from the cold.

"Well, you'll warm me up, won't you?" He grinned, holding her closer to him.

Helen smiled up at him. "I'll go grab a blanket...You, take off your coat!"

"Yes Ma'am." Eddie grinned. He laughed a little at her spunky temperment and watched her go into the little bedroon nearest the front door. She came back and covered the two of them with the blanket.

"This is better..." Eddie grinned at her as she layed her head on his chest again. She sighed a little and then turned her head up to meet his so she could kiss him.

"How you doin', hm?" He asked, brushing the tips of his fingers up and down her arm and shoulder.

"I feel fine..." Helen smiled a little.

"Good..that's good." Eddie smiled at her. "Have I told you..." He paused. "Have I told you how good you look today?"

"You are now, I'd say." Helen smiled.

"Have I told you how incredibly beautiful you are?" He leaned in and whispered into her ear.

"You may have mentioned something like that..." She grinned and chuckled at him.

"Did I mention..." He began to say, but kissed her forehead softly.

"Did you mention what?" Helen smiled at him.

"Did I mention...that I found us a place?"

"What?!" She exclaimed. Her wide smile lit up her whole face.

"Yeah." He grinned and pressed his forehead against hers. Her lips soon found his and she placed her hand on his face as they shared a long, loving kiss.

"It's small..." He said quietly. "Not what I want us to have...but it's something, at least."

"I'm sure it will work." Helen smiled.

"I want us to go over there so you can see it." Eddie said, and held her hand.

"When?" She smiled.

"I'd like to take you today...if I can. Your parents too...I'd like them to see the place too."

"Well..." Helen sighed happily. "We'll just have to wait till they get back..."

"Until then?" Eddie smiled, and Helen wrapped her arms around him under the blanket and laid her head on his chest and closed her brown eyes. "Let's just stay like this..." She said. Helen felt his chest rise and fall with his own breathing. Eddie discovered that she fell asleep.

"Hm..." Eddie chuckled. "She's so cute when she's asleep..." He kissed her head and ran his hand softly over her hair, a moment. Then from the warmth of the wood and coal furnace downstairs in the little basement, and from the warmth of the blanket and the two of them, Eddie fell asleep too.

...

"Well, "Pa"...thanks for helping with the groceries." Frances said to her husband, using a little nickname for him. They had pulled up by the back of the house in Fred's Model T Ford.

"Let's get them inside before we freeze our tails off...,"Maw." Fred laughed. He carried the paper grocery bags stocked with groceries up in one arm and put his other arm around his wife while they walked up the little sidewalk to the back porch.

"You've got them both?" Frances asked, holding onto the other two paper grocery bags.

"Sure thing..." He said and they walked through the back door and into their little kitchen and set the groceries down for a moment. "I'll be right back..." Fred said and went downstairs to the basement with the limestone walls and floor, where on the floor, near the middle of the room there was the little coal furnace. He fed more wood into it, set it afire and then put the coal on top of that. He trudged back up the basement stairs. "Need any help putting that stuff away?"

"No." She smiled, patting his cheek. "You go ahead."

"I feel like some coffee..." Fred said, walking over to the little coffee pot on the stove, but it was empty.

"I'll make some...You go..." Frances chuckled, shooing him away, teasingly.

He laughed and laid a hand on her shoulder, and kissed her temple. Fred went into the front room and sat down in his chair. "Well...look what we have here." He whispered, chuckling at the two 'lovebirds' sleeping on the little pink couch. Frances soon came into the room with his coffee and sat on the chair's armrest. "Look at them..." She sighed.

"What?" He crooned, resting his hand on top of hers.

Frances sighed again but smiled. "Does it make you feel old?" She chuckled a little.

"Not necessarily...You?"

"Oh, I don't know..." Frances smiled. "In a few more weeks they'll be married..."

"Soon enough, they'll be making us grandparents...again...I can see how you think we're getting old..." Fred laughed, and gave her a little squeeze. She chuckled and looked at him, patting him on the knee. " We're 41 and 49. I hardly think that's old." Fred whispered in her ear...Eddie woke up slowly, and he had heard their talking.

"Oh...We're sorry if we've wakened you.." She whispered softly. Frances was sitting on her husband's lap now.

"No...No, it's fine..." Eddie replied, sitting up slightly, but remembered that Helen was still asleep, now cuddled against him. He grinned down at her and then looked at his future in-laws. "Did I tell you about our new place?"

"No, you didn't, boy!" Fred laughed. "Do tell."

"You know where Burkart's is?"

"Burkart's Point Antique Store?" Frances asked. It was the big brick building on Rhomberg Street.

"Yeah, that's the place...I've got it so we'll rent out the little brick house behind the store."

"Oh, that's very nice..." Frances smiled.

"Want you two to come out and see it with us."

"We'd be happy to." Fred said.

"You know...it's small...and not what I wanted...but I think it'll do well for our first place..."

"That will do." Frances said encouragingly. "It's not like you'll live there for the rest of your lives..."

"Right..." Eddie said. "Don't tell Helen this, but in a few years I'd like to buy the old Gruber place up there." He said motioning with a nod of his head. "I think Helen would like it...to live near here." The old Gruber farm was up the road and back into the woods a little ways. It also was a brick house...and had several other buildings on the property. One of which was where Big George Gruber had his blacksmith shop, when the Gruber's first bought the 140 acre farm in 1903. It took Big George, and Frances' older brothes 3 years to clear the forest well enough to build the buildings and to plant the first corn crop.

"We hope that works out for you, Eddie." Frances told him.

"Thanks.." He smiled a little. "I'm excited...Got the first few months rent paid already...now I just have to pay for the wedding."

"It'll work out, boy." Fred told him.

"Hope so..." Eddie said.

...

"Oh, Eddie...it's a cute little place!" Frances said. It was a little brick house, with shutters. Just shutters. There were no storm windows. But, Eddie said he would fix that soon enough. Fred, Frances, Eddie and Helen all went inside the little house. It was cold as there was no fire going in the little coal furnace in the middle of the big room. It was two rooms in one. A little kitchen off to the side, and a little sitting place on the other side of the room, and the little black coal furnace standing large and wide in the middle of the room. There was a little bedroom in the back for them.

"Like I said...it's small..." Eddie said, turning towards Helen.

"It's fine..." Helen smiled. "In times like these, I'm thankful that we will have a place to live in." She went over and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "It'll be fine..." Helen smiled up a him.

"It's just...we'll need more room, I think...Gosh, it's still hard to grasp that we've got a kid on the way." Eddie ran a hand through his dark hair and tried to chuckle.

"We'll manage, Eddie." She said, and started to laugh a little. "And I'll bet in a few more months it won't be hard for either of us to grasp..." Helen said, concerning Eddie's last comment. "Sometimes...it's hard for me too..." She whispered. Helen buried her face in the coat he was wearing as he held her a moment.

"Oh, you kids...you'll do fine!" Fred told them.

"We're proud of you two..." Frances smiled and hugged both of them. "We're happy for you!"

...

January 30th, 1935. The date of the wedding was inching closer, but Eddie was fretting. The banks in Dubuque were all closing, because of the Depression, except for one or two. Eddie's bank had closed, and he couldn't get at the money he had worked so hard for! That made him angry and upset. He was glad though that he had the first few months rent paid off for their new place, but he had the wedding to think about!... He feared he might not have enough to pay for it...or a honeymoon. Heck, right now, he wasn't even able to buy Helen a wedding ring! He felt really bad about it. Helen assured him it would be fine, without those things.

Eddie was dressed in his old, brown suit, the day of the wedding. He and his family arrived at the Lay's home, where he and Helen would be married by the priest. They were all in the front room, waiting for the bride to come out of the little bedroom, that was near the front door.

"You nervous, _mein Sohn_?" Eddie's mother, Rose Walbrun asked. Her real name was Rosina, but people refered to her as Rose. She stood there, fixing his reddish brown paisley tie for him. Eddie looked down at his mother and tried to smile, but said nothing.

"Oh...I don't feel good..." Helen said quickly, with a rush of her breath. "I don't know if it's just because of the baby...or my nerves!"

"Just calm down..." Frances told her and had her sit down on the bed. "Deep breaths!...You're alright." She said soothingly. Helen sat with her head down, her arms around her middle.

"Just take your time...take your time."

"Oh Ma..." Helen burst out, nearly crying. "Am I really ready?!" All she could do was hug her mother then, so Helen did.

"Oh...Helen..." Frances said softly. "I think so..." She held her daughter, those few moments to comfort her... "Only you know that for yourself though...but I'd say you've grown up so much..."

"I can't back out..." Helen mumbled.

"What?"

"I can't back out of this...Not now. I won't back out." Helen said determinedly. "I won't..."

"Well then...there's the spirit!" Frances said cheerily.

"I know I love Eddie...I'm just.." She said...and she sighed. Tears welled up in her brown eyes again.

"Scared..." Frances finished for her. "You're scared...I know, honey." She hugged her daughter again. "I know...It's okay."

"I can do this..." She breathed, and got up off the bed and went to the little mirror and dabbed at her eyes with a handkercheif, fixed her hair and smoothed her dress. She was wearing her nice church dress. She touched up her makeup,...the ivory face powder with a pink-ish tone, a light rose colored rouge, a light colored eyeshadow, and a deep raspberry red lipstick. Her eyebrows were plucked thin, as was the style back then. Helen hurried out of the bedroom and into the front room where the priest and everyone else was. It was just Helen's family and Eddie's family.

"Everything alright?" Eddie whispered when she joined his side.

"Yes..." Helen whispered, about to cry again.

And so then the priest had married them. Helen, a young woman a few months shy of her 21st birthday, and Eddie was 3 years older than she...It was a quiet, private affair. No music, no rings, no flowers, no bridal party,...but their promises to each other were just the same as any wedding.

"I now pronounce you,...Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Edward Walbrun..." The priest later spoke.

"Wow..." Eddie whispered and smiled at her a moment. Then he leaned down a little and their lips met.

Frances opened up the french doors and they went into her little sewing room where all the wedding presents were put. Their wedding presents were simple as well, but it was things they needed. The most expensive wedding gift Eddie and Helen were given was a half ton of coal that cost $8.00 per ton in those days. The couple was also given jars of homemade canned goods, such as canned vegetable and fruit preserves.

Rose Walbrun went and hugged Helen. "Velcome to our family!" She said happily. "Now...you two come _und_ have supper with us before you go home to your new place...ve take pictures too...yes?"

After having a nice supper there, Eddie's father drove them to their new residence behind the Burkart's Point Antique store. Father and son carried in the wedding presents and set them in the little sitting room area. Eddie's father told them goodnight and then left for his own home.

"Well..." Eddie grunted, knealing down and loading coal into the coal burning furnace. "...I'm beat...what about you?"

"Exhausted..." She breathed and sat down at their little bare kitchen table.

"It's been a good day..." Eddie smiled at her. "...We'll wait awhile for the place to warm up and we can hit the sack!"

"I'm so tired I could fall asleep right now..." Helen chuckled.

"I'd carry you to bed then." Eddie smiled and walked over and planted a kiss on her forehead.

**A/N: Eddie and Helen Walbrun were my great grandparents. They were married on January 30th, 1935. He paid for the wedding in nickels, dimes and quarters...and their wedding presents (that were mentioned in my grandpa's little book he wrote of our family history) were the $4.00 half ton of coal and the home canned goods. I'm sure there were others, but they just weren't listed...I am unsure where they had gotten married, but I assume it had been a private affair at least, since they were a few months pregnant with my grandfather at the time. Eddie wore his old brown suit to his wedding (I am unsure what Helen wore, so I just guessed at it. Most women wore their best dress, or church dress, etc. if they couldn't afford a wedding dress back then...) There was no honeymoon for them and no diamond ring for her, but I was told by my mother that they had bought one later on...They lived in the little brick house in the backyard (as my grandpa put it) of Burkart's Point Antique store from the time they were married till about 1939. I've never seen or been in the little brick house, so I just imagined the inside of it...and my grandpa had written that there were no storm windows on the place, only shutters. Interesting.**

**I am unsure what my** **great grandparents did after their wedding that day. Eddie's sister Rosa had pictures taken with the family after she got married, so I assume each of them did the same. :) But one can only guess.**


	82. Chapter 82

Helen rolled over in bed. It was chilly, so she pulled the covers tighter around her. Faint sunlight hit her face, and so it was impossible to stay asleep any longer. Her eyes fluttered open and at first, she was unsure of where she was, but the event of the previous day refreshed her memory. She turned her head and she saw that Eddie was awake, getting dressed for the day. She lay there smiling at him till he turned around.

Eddie raised his eyebrows and grinned at her. "Well...good morning, beautiful." He said, making his way to the bed and sat down beside her.

Helen beamed up at him. "Have a good sleep last night?" She smiled and slowly closed her eyes and opened them, as she was still feeling tired.

"Oh yeah...You?" He asked.

"I'm sorry I had to get up a few times in the middle of the night...sickness seems worse at night. But like Mama said, its all in finding things that help..."

Eddie ran his fingers through her brown hair. He couldn't get enough of staring into those pretty, deep brown eyes and those cute, thin lips of hers. He let out a rough sigh. "I wish I didn't have to go to work today..." He gazed at her a bit longer. "But don't you worry!..." He grinned at her. "One of these days I'll take a few days off and we can spend it together."

"Like a regular honeymoon..." Helen smiled.

Eddie turned away from her. "I'm sorry..." She could not tell if he was angry or upset about it.

"Eddie...I didn't mean it like that...Eddie..." She whispered, grabbing his arm and settling her chin on his shoulder. "It's alright..." Helen smiled, and she sat there rubbing his stong arm and softly kissed his cheek. Kisses trailed up and down his jaw line. "I'm happy just being with you..." She whispered, and smiled when he turned his face to her. "Bunnie..." Helen smiled, whispering. She kissed him lovingly...and gave him a whisper kiss on the tip of his nose. "I didn't mean it...Forgive me?"

Eddie's lips formed a smile. "How could I be upset with you?" His fingers grazed her jaw line and touched her lips before he went in and kissed them.

"Now..." Helen smiled. "Let's have some breakfast. We can have some of the bread that Mama baked...with some jam...and I'll make you some bacon and eggs."

"Sounds good to me." Eddie replied.

Helen put one of his robes on and then went about the little kitchen, getting things ready for their first breakfast meal together. She set the table with the plates and silverware, and coffee cups. She set bread and butter and the jam down on the table. Then she busied herself at the stove frying the bacon and asked him how he liked his eggs. Eddie liked them over easy so that's how she fried them. The smell of the cooking food nauseated her a little.

He noticed. "You gonna be okay with that?"

"Just dandy..." Helen turned and smiled at him and then turned back to the stove, trying not to think about getting sick again.

"You going to eat some?" He asked when his breakfast was ready. He was sitting at his place at their little kitchen table. Helen had covered it with a pretty dark blue checkered tablecloth.

"I'll settle for the bread and butter and jam...Maybe I'll open a jar of the spiced peaches too. I'm afraid the rest will make me sick..." She buttered a slice of her mother's homemade bread and thought of buying flour and other ingredients to bake some bread of her own soon. She thought of meal plans for the rest of the week too.

"Gotta have something more than that, Helen!" His voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I'll eat something at lunch...I promise." Helen smiled at him. She sat down across from him at the table.

"I think I'll come back home on my lunch break and eat with you...What's here to eat?"

"Not much, I don't think...I'll have to make a trip to the grocery store today. I'll pick up something for our supper too."

Eddie reached into his wallet and pulled out $3 and gave it to her. "That should do it."

"Thank you..." She smiled at him after putting the money in her little purse. "Anything special you want? It is our first supper together..." Helen couldn't help but smile. She was beaming at the thought of cooking a darling supper for her and her new husband...Ideas swarmed her brain like honeybees around their hive. A small roast for just the two of them...she could buy potatoes at the little grocery store, and they had canned goods in the little brick house already. They would drink their coffee together with their supper and talk about his workday...His voice brought her out of her fantasy. "Anything you'd like..." He answered her question and smiled at her.

Eddie had finished his breakfast and grabbed his red coat and his hat so he could leave to go to work. "Was your breakfast alright?" She smiled, grabbing his coat sleeves and moved her hands, slipping her arms around his waist.

Eddie's full lips turned up in a saucy grin. "Made everything just how I like it."

"Good..." Helen smiled up at him. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and turned to walk out the door but stopped and looked back at her. "I'll be home around noon for lunch...Surprise me." He flashed that movie star-like smile, winking at her. Eddie told her goodbye and Helen stood at the door, watching him get on his bicycle and ride off down the street and turned on Elm street. Eddie didn't have a car yet, so he just rode his bicycle anywhere he went.

Helen closed the front door and went into the little kitchen. Silence settled around her, and she knew she was alone. She tried not to feel lonely, but she was. It was so quiet in the house with just her...Helen let out a sigh and put the thought of loneliness out of her mind. She had a house to keep up and make it a home. She had the breakfast dishes to do, kitchen floor to sweep, and their bedroom to make up. Then she had her grocery shopping to do...and all before Eddie came home at noon!

"Married nearly a day and I have work of my own to do..." She said to herself and smiled. She determined to be a good wife to Eddie.

Helen set off to work on the breakfast dishes first, getting water from the well pump outside. She set the tub of water on the coal heater to heat up. Helen washed the dishes, though the smell from the bits of old food made her sick thanks to her heightened sense of smell. She went on washing the dishes until the smell became too much for her. She gagged and coughed a little and took a seat at the kitchen table a moment.

"You'll be fine..." She told herself. "You're okay." Helen sat there and rested while another wave of nausea came over her. She ran outside as quick as she could and threw up, so rough it made her throat hurt. She stayed outside for a little while, just to get some fresh air, hoping she would soon feel better and this would pass...She used the well pump to clean up, and then went back inside and finished the dishes. Afterwards, she set more wood and coal in the little heater in the middle of the room.

(

Around 9:30, Frances was sitting at the kitchen table in their little L shaped kitchen, stirring a little sugar into her coffee cup. She and Fred were having their humble little breakfast of homemade bread with a little honey and butter.

"That's the second cup of coffee you've had since you woke up this morning, Frances." He teased, glancing at her.

"I like my coffee..." Frances smiled.

"You must...you have a cup as soon as you wake up, then again at 9:30...another at lunch and another at supper...That's a lot of coffee!" Fred chuckled, glancing at his newspaper.

"I like my coffee like you like your wine and beer!" She replied saucily, patting his arm.

Fred smiled and nodded, and went back to reading yesterday's newspaper. The Telegraph Herald and Times Journal..._Wednesday, January 30th, 1935..._**HAUPTMANN IN TEARS - Rejection of World Court Entry Rocks Roosevelt's Control. ** There was a smaller article that told about Roosevelt's birthday. _Dubuquers will gather tonight in four ballrooms to join thousands of other communities in the nationwide observance of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's fifty-third birthday anniversary. Details on Page 2. _Then a picture of Adolf Hitler caught Fred's attention. **Hitler Begins Third Year As Dictator **_Berlin(AP)Spartan simplicity marked Germany's celebration Wednesday of the second anniversary of the Hitler government's rise to power. Without torchlight processions or flag parades, traditional expressions...Continued on page 4, Column 4_

Fred turned the page and continued reading...

_of Nazi jubilation, the nation signalized the occasion by showering benefits on its needy_**. **_In the spirit of the Reichfuehrer's heralded community of the people, food and fuel worth 23,000,000 marks (approximately $9,200,000) were distributed among the poor and unemployed under supervision of the winter relief fund. The only apparent manifestation of the reich's reconsecration was a profuse display of the Swastika, flags and banners, with which streets through Germany literally were canopied..._

"Fred..." Frances said, trying to get his attention. He went on reading as he didn't hear her. "Fred...Fred!"

"What?" He looked up from the newspaper, startled.

"Well...what do you think of my idea?"

"What?...What idea?"

Frances sighed. "I asked you what you thought of me keeping boarders...we can make the front room up into a bedroom...I can charge for the room, and my cooking..."

"So you've thought some about this?"

"A lot...I figure I can help bring in a little something...don't you think?"

"Is it what you want to do?" Fred looked at her after glancing at his newspaper.

"Yes!" She smiled. "I wouldn't have brought it up otherwise..."

"I think it's a good idea..." Franziska, Frances mother said. She was living up in the little room upstairs.

Fred took a drink of his hot coffee and leaned back in his chair a moment. "Let me think on it awhile and I'll get back to you on it."

A hurried knock on the back door interrupted them all. Frances went to the back door and met a young man on the back porch.

"Mrs. Lay...the couple who lives out past Couler Valley need you and your mother...they sent for me to go fetch you..."

"How soon do they need us?"

"As soon as possible...things are progressing fast, I guess..."

"We'll be ready in a minute..." Frances left him on the back porch and went inside.

"Ma...get your coat. We're going out past Couler to deliver the Hassen baby."

"Their fourth, isn't it?"

"Yes..." Frances said, helping her mother into her coat and then she went into the other room to grab the things they needed and was back in the kitchen. Frances gave her husband a quick kiss. "We'll be back as soon as we can." She told him cheerfully. They said goodbye and out the door they went.

(

Helen spread the woolen blankets on their bed. She put the pillows on the bed and smoothed the top blanket, which was dark green. "Perfect..." Helen smiled, glancing around the room. There was the wide, long dresser of Eddie's that they kept their clothes in, his tall, fancy gun case with the drawers and hutch with its red velvet backing on the inside. Helen glanced at the clock and saw that she must run to the store, and be back to prepare lunch before Eddie came home. So she walked out of their bedroom and into the kitchen, and grabbed her little purse from the buffet table with the large mirror. It was one that her mother had in their home, and was given to her now. Helen opened the front door and noticed that the Iowa Dairy Company had made its delivery. Eddie had lived in the little brick house a few weeks before they got married, so he must have set it up, Helen thought. She placed the glass bottles that held milk and cream and the butter in the snow to keep cold, and walked down the street to the little grocery store at 731 Rhomberg Avenue. It was the Henry L. Kress, Meat Market and Grocery. Helen looked at the charming little storefront with the large glass windows.

She went inside and went to the counter, looking at all the different meats. Her attention turned to the thin cut of beef steak at 15 cents a pound, and she changed her mind about the roast for supper. Helen would make German Rouladen instead! Rouladen was a thin beef steak, salt and peppered, spread with mustard. Pickle spears or chopped pickle, and onion and bacon were layered on the meat, and then the meat was rolled up and tied with kitchen string. It was first seared well, then submerged and cooked in what would later be it's gravy...It would be perfect, she thought, since they both like German food. Helen started thinking of what she needed for the rouladen. Bacon...and pickles...and onion...and mustard...and she had salt and pepper already. She decided that with the rouladen, she would make boiled potatoes and red cabbage. They were some of the traditional sides to go with rouladen. She saw that the cabbage was at 3 cents per pound. A good buy.

She walked through the grocery aisles, grabbing things she needed and was thinking of what to buy for lunch. Her eyes searched for anything that would spark her interest...and then she locked eyes with a jar of pickled herring. Almost at an instant, she had a strong craving for it.

Helen walked on, talking to herself. "Don't just give in straight away...think! What for lunch... Luncheon meats and cheese..." She said out loud, thinking that would be good. "You know what.." She smiled to herself. "...I could put together a Kaltes Buffet!" Which was German. It literally meant cold buffet. She loved the idea...and so she bought different types of cheeses. Blue cheese and swiss and sharp cheddars. She bought luncheon meats and jars of olives, a box of crackers. She had jarred pickles at the house and other things that would be good for the little meal.

She walked on past the pickled herring and her craving for it was nagging her. It was clinging to her like a leech on her mind...She wanted that pickled herring! She felt like she just HAD to have it! Helen grabbed a jar of the fish submerged in the salty, sour liquid. She could almost taste it! Quickly, she grabbed another jar off of the grocery shelf... Helen couldn't wait to get home so she could have some of that pickled herring and set up the charming little spread for her and her husband. She paid for the food and the grocer bagged it into two large paper grocery bags.

"Thank you,-Mr. Kress, is it?"

"Henry L. Kress. I'm the owner..." He smiled. "And might I ask, what is your name, ma'am?"

"Helen Lay...No! Helen Walbrun!" She said, laughing at herself. "I got married just yesterday!...Silly me."

"Congratulations." Mr. Kress smiled.

"Thank you!" Helen smiled widely. "You'll probably see a lot more of me during the week. We live just down the street...Next to Burkart's Point Antique Store."

Helen soon left the little grocery and meat market and walked down the street to her new little house, carrying her purchases. A little, scruffy, mangy-looking dog was following her, she soon found out. "Well! Where did you come from?!" Helen laughed, setting the grocery bags down on the little front step, so she could pet the little dog. "Oh, you're a little sweetheart, aren't you?" The pup sat next to her on the step, content with being petted, wagging his scruffy little tail. Helen checked for tags on the little dog but there were none. "Poor thing must be a stray." She said to herself, petting the dog's head and ruffled his ears. "Would you like some milk?" Helen smiled at the dog, who's little scruffy ears perked up and he sat there wagging his tail. She went into the house, placing the paper grocery bags on the table, and came outside with a little tin bowl. She poured the cold milk into it and the little dog lapped it up. "Would you like a cracker, little doggie?...Huh, would you like a treat?" Helen laughed as the little dog's ears perked up again at the word treat. She gave the little dog a few crackers, gave him one last little pet, and went into the house to prepare lunch.

(

The young man drove Frances and her mother out to the little farm out past Couler Valley. Frances thanked him and then they went into the little farmhouse. Three little ragged boys sat in chairs in the little kitchen. The littlest one, about 3 or 4 years old, was crying, and his nose needed a hanky. He went to Frances and hugged her skirt. "I want Mama!" He bawled.

Frances took pity on the little one, she ruffled his hair and held him. "Your Mama is going to be very busy and needs you to stay out here and be a good little boy." She told him, and he clung to her. He was too young to understand what was going on, as was the next older boy...but the oldest knew.

"Mama will be alright...won't she." He said. More a question than it was a statement.

"Your Mama will be just fine." Frances smiled at him. The boy reminded her of Freddie at his age. "Stay out here. I'll be back to check on you in a little while." Frances told the boys and went with her mother into a little bedroom, the young woman was lying on the bed, her husband was sitting in a chair beside her, holding her hand. "I thought it best to stay with her..." He started to explain quickly.

"You're alright..." Frances told him.

"I'll be just in the next room..." The man said to his wife, and left the women to do their job.

"We didn't think you'd get here..." The woman stated, breathing heavily and in a little panic. "It's gone so fast, I'd thought I'd..."

"Now, now, now...calm down..." Frances' mother, Franziska soothed her.

"Yes...we're here now..." Frances told her. "You're in good hands." She said, patting her arm softly.

"Yes. We make a good team!" Franziska smiled over at Frances.

(

"Helen!...This is just like snack foods!" Eddie exclaimed, seeing the cold lunch buffet spread out on their little kitchen table.

"It is not!...It will be fine, Eddie! Something nice and light. That's what you wanted, wasn't it?"

"And what's with the dog out on the front step?!" He exclaimed, opening the front door.

"Dog?" Helen gasped, smiling..."Oh he didn't!-" She started to say, but the little dog came trudging in, and went right to Helen.

"Oh Eddie...look at him!" Helen smiled, holding the dog up, her own eyes looking puppy dog-ish.

"I see him! Where did he come from?" Eddie chuckled.

"I don't know...he followed me home...oh look at him! He loves me!" Helen smiled, kissing the little dog's head and petted him. "He's a stray...I think...oh, look at his wittle face!" She said, looking at her husband with her brown doe-like eyes.

"Helen...we can't keep the dog..." Eddie laughed.

"Sure we can..." Helen smiled at him. "He has no home to go to otherwise...please?" She smiled at her husband, inching the pup's face closer to Eddie's.

Eddie chuckled and scratched the dog's ears. "I guess he is a cute little rascal." He looked back at Helen, who's brown eyes were pleading with him to keep the little scraggly dog. "Oh...alright." Eddie grinned, giving in. "We'll keep him...Seems like he won't go away anyway!" He laughed. "What do we name him? Scruffy?...Rat? He looks like a little scruffy rat." Eddie laughed. "Looks like he's got a little rat terrier in him too. A little Shepherd in him too, maybe."

"Mickey Mouse..." Helen grinned, laughing. "That's what we'll name him. Mickey Mouse!"

Eddie grinned. "Now, that's cute...Mickey Mouse it is, then."

"What's this?" Eddie asked, holding up an empty jar. "Pickled herring..." He made a weird face.

"I wanted it..." Helen looked guilty...but laughed a little. "Eddie?"

"What?" He sat down at the table, with Mickey Mouse in his lap.

"Can you run to the store and get me another jar?" Helen chuckled, smiling at him.

"Helen!" Eddie grinned. "You have one here already!"

"Please?! I have to have them!"

(

It went late into the evening, until the little Hassen baby was born. Another boy. Frances had finished swaddling the newborn and brought him to his mother right after. The proud mother gazed at her new son and then looked up at Frances. "Children are a blessing aren't they?"

"They sure are..." Frances smiled. She smiled at the little newborn and his mother. "Four boys..." The woman remarked, smiling. "So much for thinking this one was a girl!" She chuckled.

Frances smiled. "Would you like for me to call your husband in now?"

"Yes...and my boys." Mrs. Hassen smiled.

Frances called them into the room and they all came in quietly, standing around the bed, looking on. The middle boy looked at his mother and asked, "Can the next one be a girl?...I wanted a sister."

Laughter escaped Frances' lips but she covered her mouth and stifled it, a twinkle shone in her brown eyes...Everyone started to laugh too!

**A/N: The Henry L. Kress grocery and meat market was listed at 731 Rhomberg from 1929 through 1948. The same place where Cremer's Grocery is now. My great grandparents lived just down the street in a little brick house next to Burkart's Point Antique Shop from 1935 to the early 1940's. I assumed they shopped there since it was so conveniently close.**

**The newspaper articles I used was an actual one I found on the internet! Technology is amazing isn't it? Who'd knew I'd stumble across newspapers from the 1930's, online!**

**From what I can tell, Frances sure was a coffee drinker! She liked her coffee! I am currently reading diaries of hers...and in them, she lists foods she ate in a day, calorie count and her weight. She was always watching her weight and trying to diet! Anyway, from what I figure, she had a cup of coffee as soon as she woke...then one at 9:30 breakfast is listed...then one at lunch...then one at supper.**

**Frances kept boarders in her home a few years after Fred had died, at least. She also worked outside the home, at a toy factory. She also babysat sometimes for a family...She was always working, doing something. Even on her vacation!**

**I have discovered recently that Frances and her mother, Franziska may have been midwives. I know for a fact that Frances was there for the birth of my grandfather, and I assume Franziska was there too considering she was living there at Frances' home at the time.**

**There was a farmer who lived out past a place called Couler Valley, back in those days in Dubuque. But I just made up the Hassen family for this chapter.**

**Mickey Mouse was a real dog owned by Eddie and Helen. But I am unsure how they came to own him so I used my imagination...If I remember correctly, Mickey Mouse the dog was a rat terrier/German Shephard mix. The other dog they had was a long haired German Shepherd/Pomerian mix, I believe. Her name was Roxy.**

**I get gaggy sometimes, washing dishes and smelling the bits of food that get stuck in the drain. Yuck!...I can't imagine how that would be for a pregnant woman! So I put that in...Idk, it just came to me.**

**Kaltes Buffet, literally means "Cold Buffet" in German. Smorgasbord type of meal, it is...We used to have it like I described it in this chapter, ...at my grandparents house. We called it, "Grandpa's special supper" it saved Grandma a night where she didn't have to cook! **

**Eddie rode a bicycle to get to places before he owned a car..which wasn't until the 1940's, I think.**

**Going to make some Rouladen pretty soon at our house...I want some sooo bad! Spaeztle too!...I have been sick with the flu this past week and have not been able to eat much...I want real food! lol.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading and please review! I love reviews!...You can send one even if you do not have an account on here! Don't be shy! :)**


	83. Chapter 83

Mr. Hassen gave Frances and her mother a ride home later that evening. Walking through the back door and into the kitchen, Franziska announced, "I'm going to bed...I am exhausted!"

"Goodnight, Ma." Frances said, smiling, just as worn out as she was. The older woman made her way into Frances' sewing room, and went through her daughter's bedroom, to go upstairs to the little room in the back of the attic.

"Cookies and coffee before bed, huh?" Frances turned her attention to her husband and she chuckled a little, leaning her arms over his shoulders. She gave him a kiss on his temple and rubbed his chest.

"You know I can't resist your walnut cookies!" Fred smiled. "Sit and split one with me..."

"I'll just sit..." She said taking a seat in the chair next to him, in the kitchen. She let out an exhausted sigh as she sat down. "...I need to go on a diet again anyway."

"You do not." Fred insisted, taking a bite of the cookie and sat there, reading.

"I'm nearly up to 195 again!"

"Hell if I care..." Fred shrugged, and glanced at his wife and on his lips was a boyish smirk. "Look at me! My looks have changed too..." He said with a chuckle.

Frances gave him a look. "Last you said you were up to 180 something...and that's exactly it! I'd rather not weigh more than my husband." She said with a laugh. Then she smiled. "Besides...you look good even at your age!" Though, Fred had put on weight too through the years, he still had a pretty full head of hair, but his wavy dark hair had grayed some. Frances patted him on the cheek softly, to which he chuckled.

"Why do you do that?" He asked her, smiling.

"I can't help but do it...you're just so cute!" She laughed. "Like I said, you're cute even at your age...I see your face and I can't help but pat you on the cheek!" She laughed a little, and kissed him. "And those cute, large ears stuck close to your head!" Frances laughed, commenting on those ears of his. Fred laughed with her and grabbed her hand and held it, running his thumb softly over the back of her hand.

"And you..." Fred said, looking at her. "I can't help but fall in love with you all over again..." He gave her a peck on the forehead. Frances leaned in to kiss him and smirked. "I'm still going on that diet..."

Fred chuckled, shaking his head and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"Still reading Wednesday's paper?" Frances asked him, puzzled.

"Just looking...This...this Hitler person..."

"What about him?" Frances looked at the newspaper with her husband.

"I don't rightly know...there's just something about him..."

"Goodness...I haven't even given him a first thought!" Frances exclaimed, and looked closer at the picture of the man. "He looks so...angry..."

"I can't say that I like this man...there's...just something about him."

"He's in Germany...not here...Might as well not worry over it." Frances said, and Fred leaned back in his chair, ate the last of his cookie, and took one last sip of his coffee. He sat there thinking.

"Speaking of Germany...When was the last time we wrote to the folks?" Frances asked. Meaning Fred's brother, Leonard...and his daughters, Fred's nieces Anna Lay and Elisabeth. Both girls grown now, and Elisabeth had married a man with the last name of Hassenkamp.

"Been quite a while..." Fred nodded his head.

"We'll have to write them a letter and update them on how everyone is..." She said, and Fred nodded.

"When was the last time you saw the girls?" Frances smiled at her husband.

"Oh shoot..." Fred said. "1910?...When I left for America. Haven't been back to Germany since..."

"It would be nice for you to go back someday..."

"For a visit..." Fred nodded. He said something about being an American now. He was a very patriotic man, though he grew up in Germany, and fought in the German army. He figured, he was an American citizen. America was his home. And he was proud to be an American! He even enlisted for WW1 when it had come around.

"So many people I should write to..." Frances sighed at last. "Mary Jane wants me to write her a letter...about how we met..." She said, commenting about their niece, Mary Jane Gruber Zust. "I think I'll write that one for Valentines Day." Frances smiled at her husband.

"Once upon a time..." Fred chuckled and smiled at her.

"Fred!"

"What?" Fred smiled at her.

"That's just perfect!...Oh, you've given me an idea! I'll start on it tomorrow." She said and got up from her chair.

"Going to bed?" Fred asked.

"Yes..." She said, giving her husband of 23 years, a kiss goodnight.

"I'll try not to stay up too late..." Fred chuckled.

"Well...with those cookies and coffee you had..." Frances began, teasing him. She stood in the kitchen doorway, her hands on her broad hips, and a sparkling laughter in her deep, brown eyes.

Fred threw his head back and laughed, then looked at her again. A sweet smile crept across his face and he said in German, "Ich liebe dich..." meaning, 'I love you'.

Frances returned his "I love you" in German as well, and went into her bedroom. It was the room that you had to go through, to go upstairs to the little room in the back of the attic. Connecting Frances' room to Fred's bedroom was a little walk-in closet.

(

Gilbertha Bardrick was sitting on her bed fixing her dark hair, waiting for her husband Paul to come into their bedroom for the night. Gilbertha was nicknamed Bert, and she was Eddie's older sister. The dark waves of her 1930's hairstyle complimented her face. She had large brown eyes, a small nose and cute, thin lips,...and those dreadful, thick Walbrun eyebrows that she thought to be cursed with. They looked alright sometimes, she thought, and other times she thought they made her look un-feminine. She would pluck them thin as much as she could, as was the current style, but they grew back so fast!

Bert smiled as Paul came into the bedroom. He sighed as he planted his weary body on the bed and took off his shoes.

"Work at the factory really has you beat?" Bert asked softly.

"I'm so...tired." Paul sighed, kicking his pant leg off of his foot and took off his shirt so he could dress for bed.

"I'll help make it all better..." Bert chuckled and started rubbing his strong back, and placed soft, little kisses on his back and shoulder.

Paul laughed a little. "I'll have you stop doing that in about half an hour."

Bert let out a giggle and kept kissing him till he turned his head and she found his lips.

Paul smiled at her. "I love you, Bert."

Bert kissed him again and whispered. "I love you too, Paul Bardrick."

Paul sat there smiling at her and glanced down and saw what she was wearing. A dainty silk nightgown with lace on the neckline. "Are you going to be warm enough in that?...I can get us another blanket..." He said, thoughtfully.

Bert pulled him against her and laid down on their bed. "I have you to keep me warm..." She chuckled and then she felt a smile tiptoe across her face. "Besides...can't your loving wife dress up in bed once in awhile?" She shot him a suggestive look. "I want to look good for you, you know..."

"You always look great..." He said, sexily biting his bottom lip.

"I don't know..." Bert replied, her lips pursing into a smile. "My husband's quite a handsome man!...I have to match up."

Paul grinned. "Honey...you do more than match up! Looks...and then some." He told her, winking at her, and she knew what that meant! Bert smiled, knowing Paul was simply crazy for her, and knew he thought she was absolutely beautiful, even though sometimes she didn't. She knew they were both very much in love with each other.

Paul was dressed in his 1930's cotton pajamas, and laid down with his wife, in their bed underneath the covers. He let out a painful moan as his head hit the pillow.

"Work at the factory really has you worn out, huh?" She whispered, rubbing his arm, she snuggled her face in his chest, smelling the clean smell of his pajamas. "You poor dear."

"I'm just tired...Tired of...of slaving away almost every day of the week to a job I don't like...I want to do something different...I want something...better for us."

"You're doing just fine in these hard times...we'll make it, Paul." Bert whispered into his ear and planted a soft kiss upon it. She gazed at him, running her fingers through his brown hair and gazed into his green eyes.

Paul's eyes darted slowly as he looked at her beautiful face. He sighed. "Why did such a sweetheart like you marry someone like this guy?" She lay there, cuddled against him, softly stroking his chest and moved her hand up his neck and her fingers grazed his jaw and then his lips. "Because..." Bert smiled, gazing at his handsome face. "I wanted my baby to look like you, Paul Ivor Bardrick..."

"Been married nearly three years...and...we've tried and tried...and tried..." Paul began. "I'm starting to think something's wrong...wrong with me..."

"Nothing's wrong with you..." Bert told him, caressing his face. "You're a strong, healthy...sexy young man...Nothing's wrong with you, Paul...It's..It's just taken us more time than it maybe takes some people...but,...you didn't understand what I was trying to tell you, honey..." She added, smiling.

"What?" Paul stared at her, looking confused.

Bert kissed him, and batted her dark eyelashes at him once. "I think..." She whispered, smiling. "That you're going to be a father, Mr. Bardrick..." The tip of her finger grazed his bottom lip ever so softly.

"W-What?!..." He stammered, smiling. "Really?...Really?!" Paul asked as his smile got even wider, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up on top of him. "Really?!" He said excitedly. All Bert could do was nod as happy tears came to her eyes. This was what they had been longing for, for such a long time! "Really...a baby?!" Paul exploded with an infectious grin and he started to cry as well. "Really?!" He grinned again. Bert smiled and nodded her head. "Mmhmm!..." She let out a happy laugh and kept nodding her head and kissed him lovingly. "Uh-huh!" She was so joyous that her brown eyes even smiled!

"Boy or girl, what?...What?!" He asked excitedly, not thinking. Bert just giggled at him and nodded her head.

"You're sure..." He asked, and placed his hand on her middle.

Bert nodded at him and smiled again. "I've set up a doctor appointment tomorrow to confirm it..." She smiled ecstatically.

"What time?"

"10 o'clock..." Bert replied.

"I'm taking off work then!" Paul smiled.

"Paul!" Bert exclaimed. "You can't!" She smiled at him. Giggling at his excitement.

"I can...and I will! They'll understand, I'm sure!...either that or I'll call in sick!" Paul joked with her. "Honey...I'll do anything...I want us both to share that moment..."

Gilbertha kissed him on the lips again. "I love you to pieces, Paul Bardrick." She whispered.

(

"Fred...What do you think of this?" Frances asked her husband, and gave him the little letter she was writing to her niece Mary Jane Gruber Zust. It was written in story form. Frances was quite a story-teller! It went like this,

"_Once upon a time, there was a young girl about 17, who brought the two cows to graze in the lowlands. Here, the grass was lush and green, while in their regular pasture there was very little grass left, due to the drought. This pasture was fenced in, but where this girl had to herd them, there was no fence, all was open country, and this girl had to stay right with them, and let them graze most of the afternoon. It was a lonesome job that she did not care too much about, but the bossies caused her no trouble, as they were grateful for the green field they were getting. This place was on this side of Peru Road, and it was so quiet, one could hear a pin fall on this road. Opposite from where she was sitting on a huge rock on this beautiful afternoon, with some reading material tucked under her arm, she took both bossies down to their grazing spot. She unfolded her magazine, and sat down on "Her Story" stone to read. Later in the afternoon, she heard someone walking on Peru Road and she saw it was a stranger. He wore a black Derby and had a folded newspaper under his arm, now he was opposite from where she sat, and she was grateful that the creek was between them, for she had never seen this gentleman, and was filled with a little fright. Just then he called a greeting to her! She sort of stared at him but did not answer so he polietly repeated the greeting and again she did not answer, as she thought, "Why should I answer him when I don't know him?" He kept walking and went up a hill opposite where she was sitting, he sat under a tree and spread out his newspaper to read, but she kept watching out of the corner of her eye. She was glad it was soon time for her and the bossies to go home. Around this time, she was wondering what he thought of her. "Probably he thought, the girl is deaf or retarded or even both." She thought. And so home she went. After that, her cow herding was not disturbed by this stranger, for which she was glad._

_Her brother John was working in an iron factory and sometimes he would mention some of the men that worked there. He always told mother of all the incidents that went on there. He also mentioned a German man. The girl never paid any attention to his factory news, only mother and father were interested._

_Then one Sunday afternoon, she was getting ready to go to a nickel show with her girl friend, Lizzie Palmer. She heard voices downstairs which was nothing new, as brother George and brother John often had buddies at the house. Their basement was a large kitchen where visiting went on. After she was dressed, she found it necessary, as her mother gave her some small change. As she entered the kitchen, she saw all the familiar buddies of her brother John sitting around. Just then her brother John called her attention to a man who was sitting in a corner a distance away, he jumped to his feet, one hand he extended, the other hand, held a Derby. He said he was quite sure that she was the girl herding cattle this past summer. She knew she blushed terribly. Mostly because she didn't answer the greeting on that day. She told him she was sorry, but he said it was alright, because in his country everyone greets everyone, whether they know each other or not. (I was wondering whether he was going to release my hand or not!) She thought it baffled him to think he was in the house of the girl that snubbed him. (We often joked about it in later years) So now she had her first boyfriend, mother and father approved of him. He spoke English real well. Before coming to Dubuque, he worked in a mill in New Jersey, and also a brewery in Pennsylvania. He turned Catholic without any pushing from her (he was Lutheran), in fact, Rev. Weirich told her that Fred was the first person that came for Catholic instructions, alone. (When he got baptized, your Dad was his God Father_)..."

Fred put his arm around his wife and kissed her temple. "A wonderful little story." He then chuckled a little. "And no...I didn't think you were deaf or retarded...I didn't know it quite yet, but you were the one I'd want to spend the rest of my life with..."

(

Eddie walked through the door one evening after running a few errands of his. It was Valentine's Day, and he couldn't wait to show Helen what he had gotten her. First, he presented her with this lovely card, the little poem on the card went like this,

You fill my heart with happiness

Each moment that we share

And every day's more wonderful

Just knowing that you care,

Each sweet and thoughtful thing you do

Just makes me love you more,

Just makes you even dearer

And still nearer than before,

And though I often fail to say

What's always in my heart - -

Though I forget to mention

That it's you I set apart - -

I hope you'll know the feeling

That no words could quite convey,

And all the deep and lasting love,

That's in my heart today.

~ Love, Bunnie

Helen adored the lovely card. It was so special to her. She was also delighted when Eddie presented her the bouquet of roses.

She kissed him and then whispered, "I love you, Bunnie."

"And I love you..." Eddie whispered, getting down on his knee in front of her, his hands holding both of hers. He opened them and Helen felt something cool in the palm of her hands...

"How's this for a ring?" He asked. "I told you I'd get you one..."

"Oh Eddie..." Helen smiled at him. "It's a beautiful ring..." He helped her as she slipped it on her ring finger. Helen wrapped her arms around his neck as she started kissing her husband. "But I love you more..." She backed him up against the kitchen wall, wrapping her arms around him and kept kissing him. She started fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.

"Woah..." Eddie's chest was heaving and he stood against the wall while she whispered into his ear.

"Bedroom...now." Helen grinned up at him and leaned against him.

"You feeling okay?" He asked, slyly grinning down at her. It was a dumb question, he thought.

"I feel wonderful." Helen was nearing three months into her pregnancy, and her feeling sick was tapering off some. "I actually feel...sexy!" She stared up at him with those daring brown eyes.

Eddie couldn't help but chuckle at her. "You are..." He grinned and held her with his arms around her waist.

**A/N:**

**Oh goodness! Walnut cookies! I had a few of those the one week from a friend of the family that I don't think I've met before...but her cookies were good! Sweet, but not so sweet that you couldn't taste the walnut. They were so good!...If I remember correctly, there was some type of nut tree out in the yard. It could have been walnut but I am unsure right now. Will have to look in Frances' diaries.**

**Frances was always watching her weight and dieting and counting calories. It's all quite interesting to read about in her diaries.**

**I am unsure what year Paul Bardrick and Gilbertha "Bert" Walbrun got married, (I'm guessing early 1930's)...or what Paul did for a living while they lived in Dubuque...I figure most men worked in factories back then.**

**The letter Frances wrote to her niece Mary Jane Gruber Zust, was written in 1972, well after Fred had passed away. She wrote this at the end of the letter, "****Your Uncle Fred and I were married for 34 years until he died, Friday, July 25, 1947 at age 61 years."**

**The Valentine's Day card was an actual one that Eddie gave to Helen. I love that poem, don't you?!**

**Helen's nickname for Eddie was "Bunnie" since he was twitch his nose. He signed all cards and letters to her, "Love, Bunnie" So sweet!**

**Those thick, dark, Walbrun eyebrows. I have them too...I think I even resemble Bert a little, though it could just be the eyebrows...lol.**

**I was told that Eddie and Helen had bought a wedding ring later on, but am unsure when they did or what kind of ring it was. Forgive me!**

**Hope you liked this chapter! Please review and tell me what you thought of it!**


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